Megan Rhyne at the National Freedom of Information Coalition describes troubling freedom of information trends throughout the country. Bangor Daily News reporter Sawyer Loftus discusses online access to Maine court records and how a promise made 10 years ago remains unfulfilled.

Guest Bios and Contact Information

• Megan Rhyne | [email protected]
• Sawyer Loftus | [email protected]

Additional News and Resources

Open Government Trends

• National Freedom of Information Coalition
• Sunshine Week
• Sunshine Week 2025 | NEFAC
• MuckRock Survey of FOIA Fees Points to Uneven Picture Across Country
• Beast or Burden: Nuisance, Vexatious, or Burdensome Public Records Requests | NFOIC

Maine Online Court Record Access

• NEFAC to Maine Judicial Branch: Online Court Records System Broken, Needs Immediate Fix
• Maine Has Spent Millions to Digitize Court Records — and They’re Still Mostly Not Online | Portland Press Herald
• Online Access to State Court Documents in Maine (video)
• Maine FOI Guide