Asbury Park Press Named 25th Annual Brechner Award Winner

Newspaper uses public records to expose inflated salries and loophole in access laws.

Detroit Free Press Named 24th Annual Brechner Award Winner

Newspaper uses public records law, investigative reporting to expose city corruption.

 Knoxville News-Sentinel Wins the 23nd Annual Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award

The Knoxville News Sentinel was named the 2008 winner of the Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award, according to Sandra F. Chance, executive director of the center.

 2007 FOI Summit - The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information celebrated its 30th anniversary with a two-day conference providing various sessions educating, training, and advocating freedom of information. In celebration of its 30th anniversary, The Brechner Center for Freedom of Information has selected the top 30 freedom of information stories published in Florida in the past 30 years and inducted a class of six honorees into its Freedom of Information Hall of Fame.

Miami Herald Reporters Win the 22nd Annual Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award
GAINESVILLE , FLA. – Two reporters from The Miami Herald are the recipients of the 22nd annual Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award.

Associated Press Writer Wins FOI Award
GAINESVILLE , FLA. – A groundbreaking, detailed series by The Associated Press that examined the treatment and prosecution of detainees at Guantanamo Bay was named the winner of the 2006 Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award, according to Sandra F. Chance, executive director of the Brechner Center.

The Argus Leader Wins FOI Award
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- A hard-hitting investigative series by the Argus Leader was named the 2005 winner of the Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award, according to Sandra F. Chance, executive director of the Brechner Center.

The Daily Business Review Wins FOI Award
GAINESVILLE, Fla.— A groundbreaking series by the Daily Business Review was named the winner of the Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award, according to Sandra F. Chance, executive Director of the Brechner Center. The articles, written by federal court reporter Dan Christensen, exposed how federal judges were suppressing civil and criminal cases by wiping them off the public record. Typically, even sealed cases appear on the public docket, but in these instances, judges tried to conceal their existence from the public.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wins FOI Award 
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A gripping freedom of information series by the San Francisco Chronicle was named the 2003 winner of the Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information Award, according to Sandra F. Chance, executive director of the Brechner Center

The Burlington Free Press Wins 2002 FOI Award
A compelling freedom of information series by The Burlington Free Press won this year’s Joseph L. Brechner Center for Freedom of Information award, according to Sandra Chance, director of the Brechner Center. The series, titled: “Code of Silence,” graphically demonstrates how a lack of public information about physicians in Vermont lead to life-altering injuries and unnecessary deaths.

Arkansas newspaper wins Brechner FOI prize
A five-month series of articles and editorials chronicling the battle between a juvenile court judge and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette received the 2001 Joseph L. Brechner Freedom of Information Award.

Florida Sunshine Laws Under Attack
Editorial by Dr. Sandra Chance. Florida's government-in-the-sunshine laws came close to being the next casualty in the U.S. war on terrorism.

Gannett New Jersey Newspaper Group Wins 2000 FOI Award
The series, titled "Public Access Denied," detailed the abysmal compliance rate with the state's public record law.

Indiana Newspapers Win 1999 FOI Award
The five-part series, titled "The State of Secrecy: Indiana flunks the test on access," detailed the abysmal compliance rate with the state's public record law.

New Director of the Brechner Center
(May 19, 1999) The center’s longtime director and eminent scholar Bill Chamberlin is assuming responsibility as director of the Citizen's Access Project. Assistant Director Dr. Sandra Chance will take over as Brechner Center director.

Orlando Broadcasting Executive Marion Brechner Endows Citizen Access Project
(March 31, 1999) A major gift will enable the University of Florida to evaluate citizen access to information about state and local government in every state in the nation.