The Tennessean v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County

In the past, this Court has consistently refrained from creating public policy ex*877ceptions to the Tennessee Public Records Act (TPRA), Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 10-7-101 to -702 (2012 & Supp.2014), because the authority to enact such exceptions rests solely with the General Assembly. See, e.g., Schneider v. City of Jackson, 226 S.W.3d 332, 344 (Tenn.2007) (“[T]he General Assembly, not this Court, establishes the public policy of Tennessee.”)- Departing from this principle, the majority has concluded that Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 16 exempts all police records from public disclosure during…