Fathers Are Parents Too v. Hunstein
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Fathers Are Parents Too v. Hunstein was a case before the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1992 concerning open meetings.
Important precedents
This case explicitly established the exemption from open records and public meetings laws for the entire judicial branch of the Georgia government.
Background
- Fathers are Parents Too filed suit against Hunstein in his capacity as chairperson of the Georgia Commission on Gender Bias in the Judicial System seeking to compel the commission to hold open meetings, claiming the commission was subject to the Georgia Open Meetings Act.
- The trial court rejected the case claiming that the Commission was created by the Supreme Court and was thus exempt from the open meetings act.
- Fathers are Parents Too appealed the decision.
Ruling of the court
The trial court dismissed the case ruling in favor of Hunstein arguing that the commission was created by the judiciary and thus exempt under the broad exemption the judiciary enjoys based on arguments concerning the separation of powers, citing Coggin v. Davey.
The Court of Appeals affirmed the ruling of the trial court, and emphasized the Georgia Open Records Act and the Georgia Open Meetings Act do not apply to the judicial branch of the government.
Associated cases
See also
- Georgia Open Meetings Act
