A new report discussing public access to information about Rhode Island legal proceedings will be released at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, 2000, during a news conference at Maddock Alumni Center on the Brown University campus. The report was prepared by an undergraduate research team at Brown’s Taubman Center, led by Prof. Ross Cheit.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — At 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, an undergraduate research team from Brown’s A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions will release a new study about public access to information about legal proceedings in Rhode Island.

The study targeted three areas where accessibility might be an issue: the expungement of felony convictions, the sealing of records in civil suits, and the settlement of claims against municipalities. Among their findings: inconsistent or inadequate record keeping, problems with tracking the location of physical files, uneven compliance with open records laws regarding municipal claim settlements, and the inappropriate expungement of felony convictions.

Researchers will be available to describe and discuss their work. Copies of the full report will be available at the news conference and on the Web Monday.

Who
Ross Cheit, associate professor of political science, who led a team of undergraduate researchers at the Taubman Center for Public Policy

What
News conference to release a study about public access to court records

When
10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30, 2000

Where
Maddock Alumni Center
38 Brown St. (corner of Brown and George)