TN Judge Rules In Favor of Media

A Nashville judge has ruled the Tennessee Department of Children's Services must provide records to the public regarding children who died or nearly died after the agency investigated reports of abuse or neglect. Judge Carol McCoy issued an order yesterday that the department has 10 days to redact confidential information from documents that serve as case summaries for four specific cases. The records then must be turned over to 12 news media organizations that sued under Tennessee's public records law. The department also must file an estimate with the court of how long it will take to redact confidential information from an additional 200 summaries of requested files and the costs involved.