A recent Final Determination from the Office of Open Records clarified the RTKL’s statutory exemption that allows a state agency to deny a request to produce records related to a noncriminal investigation.
In Aponte v. Pottstown School District, OOR Dkt. AP 2019-2055 (Dec. 30, 2019), the Requester sought records related to investigative complaints, findings
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court recently reversed an OOR decision based on a finding that the statutory exception under RTKL Section 708(b)(17)(i) applies to exempt from disclosure a non-criminal investigation, including the complaint submitted to the agency. In Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board v. Perretta, 2019 WL 6114465 (Pa. Cmwlth Ct., Nov. 18, 2019), the court,
The United States Supreme Court, in McBurney v. Young, ruled that there is no federal constitutional right to public records, and the states have the discretion to limit access to public records to their own citizens. This decision and its impact on the right to obtain public records was explored in a recent article: Chad
A recent decision of the Office of Open Records (OOR) is noteworthy for the extensive analysis supporting its conclusion that the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) must produce a substantial number of the records requested regarding submissions to the PUC in connection with a pipeline. In Friedman v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, OOR Dkt.
A recent decision from the Office of Open Records relied on the right to privacy in the Pennsylvania Constitution, as opposed to an exemption in the RTKL, as a basis to prevent the disclosure of certain personal information. In Petusky v. Girardville Area Municipal Authority, OOR Docket No. AP 2019-0931 (Aug. 26, 2019), the
The Commonwealth Court recently decided an issue of first impression and ruled that the term “individual” in Section 708(b)(13) of the RTKL does not include “corporations.” In the case styled, California University of Pennsylvania v. Bradshaw, 210 A.3d 1134 (Pa. Cmwlth. May 31, 2019), the court upheld a final determination by the Office of Open
For readers interested in learning more about the nuances and substantive aspects of the PA Right-To-Know-Law (RTKL), the Office of Open Records (OOR) is hosting a seminar featuring several luminaries in the world of the PA RTKL. Details are below.
Among the titans in this field who will be presenting at this event, are Terry
A recent decision by the Office of Open Records is notable for requiring disclosure of text messages among school board members sent during a school board meeting. In Hassler v. Tulpehocken Area School District, OOR Dkt. No. AP 2019-0455 (July 18, 2019), the Appeals Officer explained that whether the text exchange related to an agenda
The Commonwealth Court recently instructed that all evidence supporting one’s RTKL arguments must be presented to the Office of Open Records, and appellants cannot supplement the record with additional evidence on appeal. In Mission Pennsylvania, LLC v. McKelvey, et al., (Cmwlth. Ct. June 4, 2019), the court addressed requests for copies of applications submitted to
A recent decision by the PA Office of Open Records (OOR) is noteworthy for its explanation of the good faith duty of agencies to search for responsive records. The case of Brady v. Borough of Wernersville, OOR, Docket No.: AP 2019-0453 (May 22, 2019), granted an appeal from the denial of requested documents by