Source: https://www.rcfp.org/open-government-sections/1-status-of-requester/
Timestamp: 2019-06-25 09:50:32
Document Index: 410866680

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 25', '§ 6250', '§ 6253', '§ 6252', '§ 6252', '§ 24', '§ 24', '§ 24', '§ 107', '§ 24', '§1', '§1', '§1', '§ 10001', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 92', '§ 92', '§ 92', '§ 92', '§ 92', '§ 74', '§ 74', '§ 74', '§ 74', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 22', '§ 44', '§ 44', '§ 31', '§84', '§84', '§49', '§ 14', '§ 132', '§ 149', '§ 149', '§ 38', '§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 2', '§ 2']

1. Status of requester – The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
“[A]ny citizen of the State of Arkansas” may make a request. Ark. Code Ann. § 25-19-105(a)(1). However, incarcerated felons may not obtain records of the Department of Correction and the Department of Community Correction. Otherwise, the term “citizen” includes a corporation doing business in the state. Arkansas Hwy. & Transp. Dep’t v. Hope Brick Works Inc., 294 Ark. 490, 744 S.W.2d 711 (1988). This approach would also include partnerships and other unincorporated associations doing business in the state. Indeed, the Supreme Court has said that “anyone who requests information is entitled to it.” Bryant v. Weiss, 335 Ark. 534, 983 S.W.2d 902 (1998) (emphasis added). In the Bryant case, the Court held that a public official, in his official capacity, is a “citizen” for purposes of Section 25-19-105(a)(1). See also Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 98-174 (civil service commissioners may obtain access to personnel and employee evaluation records under the FOIA). An agency may require identification showing name and address or completion of a form on which the requester provides citizenship information. Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. No. 94-235. The Attorney General has opined that a proxy may request records for a non-citizen, as long as that proxy is an Arkansas citizen. See Ark. Op. Att’y Gen. Nos. 2008-191, 97-071, 96-190.
"[A]ccess to information concerning the conduct of the people's business is a fundamental and necessary right of every person in this state." Cal. Gov't Code § 6250. "Every person" can inspect public records. Cal. Gov't Code § 6253(a). "Person" includes any natural person, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, firm or association. Cal. Gov't Code § 6252(c). The CPRA does not differentiate among those who seek access to public information. If a record is public, as defined by or construed under the CPRA, all persons have the same right of access. Los Angeles Unif. Sch. Dist v. Superior Court, 228 Cal. App. 4th 222, 242, 175 Cal. Rprt. 3d 90 (2014); County of Santa Clara v. Superior Court, 170 Cal. App. 4th 1301, 1324, 89 Cal. Rptr. 3d 374 (2009); State Bd. of Equalization v. Superior Court, 10 Cal. App. 4th 1177, 1190, 13 Cal. Rptr. 2d 342 (1992).
For example, citizens of other states, and foreign as well as domestic corporations are included in the CPRA's definition of "person." Connell v. Superior Court, 56 Cal. App. 4th 601, 611-12, 65 Cal. Rptr. 2d 738 (1997). A municipal corporation, as well as it elected city attorney, is also a “person” entitled to request documents from another governmental agency. Los Angeles Unified Sch. Dist. v. Superior Court, 151 Cal. App. 4th 759, 771, 60 Cal. Rptr. 3d 445 (2007). Section 6252.5 of the Government Code expressly allows an elected member or official of any state or local agency to access public records of that agency — or any other — on the same basis as any other person. Cal. Gov't Code § 6252.5. Likewise, a plaintiff who files suit against a public agency may utilize the CPRA to obtain documents for use in litigation to the same extent as any other person. County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court, 82 Cal. App. 4th 819, 826, 98 Cal. Rptr. 2d 564 (2000). Members of the media, while "persons" under the CPRA, have no greater right of access than the general public. Dixon v. Superior Court, 170 Cal. App. 4th 1271, 1279, 88 Cal. Rptr. 3d 847 (2009); City of San Jose v. Superior Court, 74 Cal. App. 4th 1008, 1018, 88 Cal. Rptr. 2d 552 (1999); City of Hemet v. Superior Court, 37 Cal. App. 4th 1411, 1417 n.7, 44 Cal. Rptr. 2d 532 (1995). Conversely, a person personally affected by the public record has no greater right of access than other persons under the CPRA. Los Angeles Police Dept. v. Superior Court, 65 Cal. App. 3d 661, 668, 135 Cal. Rptr. 575 (1977).
"Any person" may inspect any public record at reasonable times. Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 24-72-201, 24-72-203(1)(a). "Person" is defined as any natural person, including any public employee and any elected or appointed public official acting in an official or personal capacity, and any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, firm, or association. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-72-202(3).
Copying of records is subject to federal copyright and trademark laws. The state and its agencies, institutions, and political subdivisions may maintain an action to obtain and enforce copyright or trademark protection under federal law. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-72-203(4). This authorization, however, is not intended to restrict public access to fair use of copyrighted materials, see 17 U.S.C. § 107, and does not apply to writings which are merely lists or other compilations.
The "person in interest," the person who is the subject of a record, may have greater rights of access to records about that person than do others. See Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 24-72-204(2)(a)(II), (3).
FOIA specifically applies to "every person" without reference to citizenship. Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-210(a).
Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-210(c) states "[w]henever a public agency receives a request from any person confined in a correctional institution or facility or a Whiting Forensic Division facility, for disclosure of any public record under the Freedom of Information Act, the public agency shall promptly notify the Commissioner of Correction or the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services in the case of a person confined in a Whiting Forensic Division facility of such request, in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, before complying with the request as required by the Freedom of Information Act." The commissioners have the right to withhold the record if it is exempt under Conn. Gen. Stat. §1-210(b)(18) as a safety, escape or disorder risk.
Any citizen of Delaware, including corporate citizens, may request disclosure pursuant to the Act. 29 Del. C. § 10001; Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 91-I003 (Feb. 1, 1991). Non-Delaware citizens may not request disclosure under the Act. Del. Op. Att'y Gen., No. 96-ib01 (Jan. 2, 1996).
Any "person" has a right to inspect or copy any public record not exempted from disclosure. § 2-532(a). The term “person” “includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, associations, and public or private organizations of any character other than the Mayor, the Council, or an agency.” § 2-502(9); see § 2-539(a)(8) (providing that definition of “person” from § 2-502 applies).
The UIPA contains no restrictions based on citizenship. Section 92F-11(b) provides that "[e]xcept as provided in section 92F-13 [(detailing exceptions for disclosure)], each agency upon request by any person shall make government records available for inspection and copying during regular business hours." Haw. Rev. Stat. § 92F-11(b) (emphasis added). Section 92F-3 defines "person" as "an individual, corporation, government, or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, or any other legal entity." Even foreign governments when engaged in "civil or criminal law enforcement activity authorized by law" may obtain access pursuant to written agreement, written request or, under specified circumstances, verbal request. Id. § 92F-19(a)(3).
A person who makes a request for records to an agency, however, is not entitled to a response from the agency if the request is duplicative or substantially similar to a request that had been responded to within the past year, and the agency’s response would remain unchanged. Id. § 92F-11(b).
If a person wants to be anonymous, in most circumstances, an agency may not ask or require the requester's name. Water Service Consumption Data, OIP Op. Ltr. No. 90-29 (Oct. 5, 1990); but see Information About Requesters of Conviction Data Records, OIP Op. Ltr. No. 96-4 (Dec. 10, 1996) (Hawaii Criminal Justice Center must allow access to information about individuals who request conviction data).
Section 92F-19, however, prohibits the sharing of records and information between agencies except in ten sets of circumstances. Disclosure to the Legislative Auditor, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and the Ombudsman are expressly permitted. Haw. Rev. Stat. § 92F-19(a)(9) (1996). So is disclosure to "the legislature or a county council, or any committee or subcommittee thereof." Id. § 92F-19(a)(6).
Any person can make a request for access to public records. Idaho Code § 74-102(1). A “person” is broadly defined to mean “any natural person, corporation, partnership, firm, association, joint venture, state or local agency or any other recognized legal entity.” Idaho Code § 74-101(9). There is no distinction made between citizens of the State of Idaho and others, nor is there any distinction noted between citizens of the U.S. and other countries. Any person who makes a request for access to a public record is permitted to examine and copy such record. Idaho Code § 74-102(1). The custodian of the records may require written requests and that the requester provide their name, a mailing address, e-mail address and telephone number. Idaho Code § 74-102(4). In practice, larger local and state agencies routinely require written requests on forms provided by the agency.
Every public body must make available to any person for inspection and copying all public records except those identified as exceptions. See 5 ILCS 140/3(a). Person is defined as any individual, corporation, partnership, firm, organization or association, acting individually or as a group. See 5 ILCS 140/2(b).
“Any person may inspect and copy the public records of any public agency during the regular business hours of the agency,” with exceptions as to which records may or might not be disclosed. Ind. Code § 5-14-3-3(a), § 5-14-3-4; see City of Elkhart v. Agenda: Open Gov’t Inc., 683 N.E.2d 622, 627 (Ind. App. 1997) (city had no discretion to deny or condition access to office phone records). Governmental entities are “persons” under the statute, see Knox County Council v. Sievers, 895 N.E.2d 1263 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008), as are corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and unincorporated associations. Ind. Code § 5-14-1.5-2.
There is no limitation on who can request records. "Every person shall have the right to examine and copy public records . . . ." Iowa Code § 22.2(1) (2017) (emphasis added). See generally Ne. Council on Substance Abuse, Inc. v. Iowa Dep’t of Pub. Health, 513 N.W.2d 757 (Iowa 1994).
There is no requirement that a person making a records request be a Kentucky citizen or resident. As a general matter, the Open Records Act does not treat requests differently based on the status of the requester. However, Kentucky law imposes various limitations on records requests submitted by incarcerated individuals. See Ky. Rev. Stat. 197.025.
In general, "any person of the age of majority" may request records. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 44:31. However, in Vourvoulais v. Movassaghi, 906 So. 2d 561 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2005), the court held that the Act grants a right of action to enforce the right to inspect or copy the public records to only the person who actually made the request — in that case, a paralegal in a firm representing a construction company, despite the fact she was acting on the direction of an attorney for the benefit of the client. Because the general counsel of the construction company brought the suit instead of the paralegal who signed the request letter, the court vacated the trial court's judgment in his favor. Id. at 465. One exception to this rule is that a convicted felon in custody who has exhausted his or her appellate remedies may not request records unless the request is limited to grounds upon which the individual could file for post-conviction relief. La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 44:31.1; however, an attorney for an inmate is not bound by § 31.1 and is entitled records, Boren v. Taylor, 223 So.3d 1130 (La. 2017). See also Hilliard v. Litchfield, 822 So. 2d 743 (La. App. 1st Cir. 2002) (finding prisoner was a "person" entitled to bring claim under Public Records Act despite having exhausted his appellate remedies when he brought suit, because status is measured at the time the request was made, not when suit filed). Also, public bodies (such as a city council or port district), may not request records, although the individuals who make up a public body may make a request. Plaquemines Parish Council v. Petrovich, 629 So. 2d 1322, (La. App. 4th Cir. 1993), writ denied 634 So. 2d 390 (La. 1994).
Neb. Rev. Stat. §84-712 allows "all citizens of this state, and all other persons interested in the examination of the public records," to examine public records. Furthermore, Neb. Rev. Stat. §84-712.03 allows "any person" to seek redress for the wrongful withholding of records. Generally, the use of the term "person" in Nebraska statutes "includes bodies politic and corporate, societies, communities, the public generally, individuals, partnerships, joint stock companies, and associations." Neb. Rev. Stat. §49-801(16) (Reissue 2010).
Any person or entity may seek relief under the Statute. RSA 91-A:4 provides that "every citizen" has access to "public records" of public agencies and public bodies, while RSA 91-A:2 provides that "all persons" may attend public proceedings. In addition, RSA 91-A:7 provides that "any person" aggrieved by a violation of the chapter may petition the superior court for injunctive relief. Thus, there is no basis to believe that "citizen," in section 4, is a limiting term.
Every person has the right to inspect any public record. NMSA 1978 § 14-2-1 (2011).
The Public records law provides, in G.S. § 132-6, that public records may be requested by “any person.” The North Carolina Press Association is not aware of any access problems arising out of the citizenship or residency of a person requesting access, and the AG Guide confirms that “any person has a right to inspect, examine and get copies of public records.”
"Any person" is entitled to inspect or receive a copy of a public record; the right is not limited to U.S., state, or community citizens. Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(B).
The term "any person" is "broad and permits anyone, including any recognized business entity (defendants, newspapers, researchers, designees and/or nondesignees) to obtain records." State ex rel. Quolke v. Strongsville City School Dist. Bd. Of Edn., 142 Ohio St.3d 509, 514, 33 N.E.3d 30, 34 (2015).
An incarcerated person, however, must obtain a judge's consent before gaining access to public records unless the judge decides that the records would support a "justiciable claim" of the inmate. Ohio Rev. Code § 149.43(B)(8); State ex rel. Sevayega v. Reis, 88 Ohio St. 3d 458, 727 N.E.2d 910 (2000).
Every person, regardless of nationality or residency, has a right to inspect any public record that is not expressly exempt from disclosure. ORS 192.314(1) (formerly ORS 192.420(1)). ORS 192.311(3) (formerly 192.410) defines “person” to include any natural person, corporation, partnership, firm or association, and any member or committee of the legislature. A public body may not use ORS 192.311(3) to request public records. Attorney General Manual, § I.A. The identity of the person seeking disclosure of a particular record may be relevant when a statutory exemption to disclosure requires a determination of the public interest in disclosure.
The APRA is unlimited as to who may request to inspect or copy public records. “Every person or entity” may make such request. R.I. Gen. Laws § 38-2-3(a)(2012).
The Act places no limits on who may request public records. See City of Garland, 165 S.W.3d at 820 (“‘Public information’ must be made available to the public upon request by any person.”). The Act does not require that the requestor be a Texas resident. Section 552.221(a) of the Act specifically directs the officer for public information to produce public information on “application” by “any person.”
In Utah, the Government Records Access and Management Act (“GRAMA”) governs access to public records. GRAMA states that “[e]very person has the right to inspect a public record free of charge, and the right to take a copy of a public record during normal working hours . . . .” Utah Code § 63G-2-201(1).
Under GRAMA, “a record is public unless otherwise expressly provided by statute.” Id. § 63G-2-201(2).
GRAMA restricts access to all records that are classified as “private,” “controlled,” or “protected.” Id. § 63G-2-201(3)(a).
GRAMA also restricts access to all records “to which access is restricted pursuant to court rule, another state statute, federal statute, or federal regulation, including records for which access is governed or restricted as a condition of participation in a state or federal program or for receiving state or federal funds.” Id. § 63G-2-201(3)(b).
a. Citizens of the Commonwealth: Any citizen of the Commonwealth may inspect records during the regular business hours of the custodian of records. A citizen is defined elsewhere in the Code of Virginia as one born in the Commonwealth who has not in good faith become a citizen of another state or one born in another state of this Union or an alien naturalized under the laws of the United States who may be or become a resident of the Commonwealth. The Supreme Court of the United States has held that limiting standing to make a request under the Act to citizens of Virginia does not violate the Privileges and Immunities Clause or the dormant Commerce Clause. McBurney v. Young, 569 U.S. 221, 133 S.Ct. 809 (2013). Nothing in the Act prohibits a citizen from making a request on behalf of a non-citizen, as the requester is not required to explain or otherwise justify the request. The custodian may require the requester to provide his name and legal address. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3704.A.
b. Media: The Act specifically grants rights to representatives of newspapers and magazines with circulation in the Commonwealth and to representatives of television and radio stations broadcasting in or into the Commonwealth. Va. Code Ann. § 2.2-3704.A. Online-only media are not addressed.
Any person may request records. RCW 42.56.080. “Person” includes an individual, public, private or governmental entity, or “any other organization or group of persons, however organized.” RCW 42.17.020(35) (2000). A requester does not have to establish a “need to know” in order to obtain access. RCW 42.56.080; Yacobellis v. City of Bellingham, 55 Wn. App. 706, 780 P.2d 272 (1989), pet. for review denied, 114 Wn.2d 1002, 788 P.2d 1077 (1990).
Any person or entity may obtain access to records. However, the West Virginia Supreme Court has held that individuals incarcerated in state or federal facilities "may not use [FOIA] to obtain court records for the purpose of filing a petition for writ of habeas corpus.” Syl. Pt. 3, State ex rel. Wyant v. Brotherton, 214 W. Va. 434, 589 S.E.2d 812 (2003). Instead, a state inmate is limited to the discovery available to him under the West Virginia Rules Governing Post–Conviction Habeas Corpus Proceedings. See also, Smith v. Shoemaker, 2012 WL 5232225 (2012) (per curium) (unpublished opinion).
The identity of the requester or the purpose for which the records are sought are irrelevant as to whether the record is available for public access. The pertinent question is whether the record is available to public. If so, anyone may inspect it. Laramie River Conversation Council v. Dinger, 567 P.2d 731 (Wyo. 1977); Shaeffer v. University of Wyoming, 2006 WY 99.