Deriso v. Cooper

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Deriso vs. Cooper Number: none Year: 1980 State: Georgia Court: {{{Court}}} Other lawsuits in Georgia Other lawsuits in 1980 Precedents include:

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Deriso v. Cooper was a case before the Georgia Supreme Court in 1980 concerning open meetings laws and school boards.

Background

This suit was brought against the Sumter County school board based on the 1976 constitutional provision that required school boards to keep all meetings open at all times.

The Court reversed and affirmed the trial court's ruling, saying school boards may meet in executive session to discuss, deliberate, consider or hear matters listed as exceptions in the Open Meetings Act.

Justice Hill concurred, but Justice Jordan dissented, arguing that "the Constitution says what it means and means what it says."

The plaintiffs moved for rehearing, which the Court denied: "If this state of the law is perceived by the school patrons as being unjust, their proper recourse is to their elected representatives in the General Assembly with suggested revisions to our Constitution and laws."

See also

• Georgia Open Meetings Act

External links

• Sumter County website
• Text of the case