Another Victory for Open Records in Doe v. Sundquist

This is an archive of the original Bastard Quarterly newsletter, edited by Damsel Plum and Charles Filius. It was published in print and on the web between 1997 and 2002.

Another Victory for Open Records in Doe v. Sundquist:
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Doe v. Sundquist

(This first appeared in the Fall 1997 issue of the Bastard Quarterly.)

On October 6th. 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari, i.e., refused to hear an appeal from the Sixth Circuit decision in Doe v. Sundquist, which challenged the State of Tennessee's open records law on the grounds that it violated a birthparent's right to privacy. Plaintiffs in the case, the American Center for Law and Justice (supported by the NCFA and Christian Coalition) have no further recourse on the federal level. On the state level, the trial court ordered the case dismissed, and the plaintiffs appealed to the Tennessee Court of Appeals. That court has stayed the statute pending the decision on the appeal, and so as of press time, records in TN remain sealed, although lawyers for the defense have asked the court to expedite the appeal.