Local Legal Initiative provides local news organizations with the direct legal services they need to continue corporate and investigative reporting in their communities. LSC is an independent, nonprofit organization founded by Congress in 1974 to provide low-income Americans with financial assistance for civil legal aid. The company currently funds 132 independent nonprofit legal aid organizations in every U.S. state, District of Columbia and territory. If you need help with a civil law issue, enter an address or city below to find an LSC-funded legal aid organization near you. You can also visit LawHelp.org to find information about your legal issues and find free legal forms. Tennessee offers strong support to partners at the state level, as well as the opportunity to partner with nonprofit, non-traditional news organizations focused on Memphis` underserved populations. There are many legal challenges for local reporting in the state, including excessive delays in accessing public records, challenges in accessing body camera video, and overly broad applications of law enforcement exceptions. These lawyers are an extension of the legal work that the lawyers of the Committee of Journalists already do, but focus on a specific jurisdiction. The type of work varies according to the needs of each state, but includes public archives and judicial proceedings, training and the provision of information through the Committee of Journalists` hotline. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Colorado does not have an administrative appeals process or ombudsman office, which means that public documents interested in challenging a refusal must do so in court. In addition to the significant legal need in Colorado, the state has many new and innovative reporting partnerships. And a new building in downtown Denver will soon house a number of different news organizations, including the Associated Press, several nonprofit newsrooms and the Colorado Media Project.

As Oklahoma`s news outlets become increasingly difficult to fight legal battles over access to government information, state journalists say officials have become increasingly resistant to demands from the news media to respect open archives and open assembly laws. The state also provides an opportunity to work with the Association of Native American Journalists on barriers to coverage of and within Oklahoma state-recognized tribes. LSC-funded legal aid in the red-shaded area is managed by: To satisfy our lawyers, we have packed up our legalese so you can easily find and read it. Read our documents for things that protect not only us, but also you. Lawyers are members of the Committee of Journalists and are fully integrated into the organization`s existing legal team. Start by typing an address in the search box below, and then select one of the suggested results. You can also click on the map. The Local Legal Initiative is supported in part by an investment by John S. and James L.

The Knight Foundation is funded to the tune of $10 million as part of the foundation`s commitment to double its commitment to strengthening local journalism. The Journalists Committee and our partners are seeking additional philanthropic support to complement the Knight Foundation`s investment to support the program beyond our two-year commitment in each jurisdiction. We are proud of this new feature, but recognize that the LGBT community is not the only group without explicit federal protection. LGBT-specific data is a starting point for our local legal protection function. We`re always looking for data sources that provide homehunters with the information they need to find the right place to live. Stay tuned for more information. All counsel on the Rapporteur Committee are guided by specific internal litigation priorities and processes. Lawyers work with partner organizations and the news media in their area of responsibility to identify needs and opportunities. The Committee of Reporters` lawyers are based in five states — Colorado, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Tennessee — to help local journalists and news organizations advocate for their rights, collect and report information, gain access to public records and trials, and hold government agencies and state and local officials accountable. Collaboration and content sharing among Oregon news organizations is increasing. There was also a wave of enthusiasm for the government`s transparency work after the state`s top public records defender resigned from the governor`s office, citing political interference.