rrisburg, PA) -- Nauman Smith attorney Craig J. Staudenmaier cjstaud@nssh.com and Terry Mutchler, openrecords@state.pa.us executive director of the State Office of Open Records, will join Pennsylvania Newspaper Association general counsel Teri Henning terih@pa-news.org and others in a special professional development seminar discussing, "Investigative Reporting & PA's New Open Records Law."

"The new law, effective January 1, 2009, will significantly impact the way investigative reporting is undertaken in Pennsylvania," Staudenmaier, an expert media lawyer, said today.

"Journalists will have a plethora of public information available to them when all provisions of the law take effect next year, Staudenmaier added, "so investigative reporters have to pay particular attention to the process when requesting information. It's important to understand when and how to stand their ground in that process."

A government agency must respond to a request for a record within five business days with either the record requested or an explanation as to why that record is not public. The agency may ask for a 30-day extension, but if the agency denies the request, the reporter may contact the Office of Open Records, which then has 30 days to make a decision. There are new procedures for making requests -- how and to whom to make them, Staudenmaier said.

"It's particularly valuable that Ms. Mutchler will be attending this important PNA seminar," Staudenmaier noted, "because it's critical for journalists to understand how the Office of Open Records functions in Harrisburg. The courts can become involved quickly in a request, and there are applicable fines for delays, so it's fundamental for journalists to have working knowledge of the law's intricacies."

The workshop is funded by The Patriot-News in memory of Sharon Johnson, popular arts critic and movie reviewer, and will be held Thursday, November 20 2008, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at PNA Headquarters in Harrisburg.Mr. Staudenmaier specializes in print and broadcast media cases addressing access issues, subpoena of reporters, privacy issues and defamation claims. He is a lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Pennsylvania Society of Newspaper Editors. He has played a fundamental role in shaping issues of Right to Know Law in Pennsylvania through representation of various media, individual and business interests before government agencies, as well as his widely recognized successes in litigation before the Commonwealth and Supreme Courts in landmark cases pertaining to media access and public right to know as lead counsel in the successful Penn State University/Paterno and PHEAA cases.

"Our Right To Know Practice Group will provide free public service seminars on this subject to a variety of organizations." Mr. Staudenmaier said. Founded in 1871, Nauman, Smith, Shissler & Hall, LLP, is the oldest law firm in continuous existence in Harrisburg. For further information on this subject or to request a seminar notice about the firm's RTK Practice Group, please visit the Nauman Smith Web site at www.nssh.com/rtk or contact Craig J. Staudenmaier, Esq., at 717.236.3010.

Available on line:

• Sharon Johnson Memorial Workshop - Investigative Reporting
  Thursday, November 20 2008
• Office of Open Records
• The RTK Practice Group - Nauman Smith Shissler & Hall,  LLP
• Pennsylvania Newspaper Association