Sunshine Laws

If you've ever had to wait awhile to get your hands on a Freedom of Information Act request, it can be frustrating. But it could always be worse:

The Knights Templar, a medieval Christian military order accused of heresy and sexual misconduct, will be partly rehabilitated when the Vatican publishes trial documents it has guarded for 700 years.

A reproduction of the minutes of trials against the Templars, "Processus Contra Templarios -- Papal Inquiry into the Trial of the Templars" is a massive work, costing 5,900 euros ($8,333).

"This is a milestone because it is the first time that these documents are being released by the Vatican, which gives a stamp of authority to the entire project," said Professor Barbara Frale, a medievalist at the Vatican's Secret Archives.