Opinion ID: 2435994
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: the open records act

Text: The Open Records Act contains specific exceptions from compelled disclosure of certain information relating to litigation, certain law-enforcement and prosecutors' records, and information expressly made confidential by law. Tex. Gov't Code §§ 552.101, 552.103, and 552.108. The Act excepts information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision. Tex. Gov't Code § 552.101. The Act excepts any documents relating to litigation of a criminal nature from disclosure. It provides: (a) Information is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021 if it is information: (1) relating to litigation of a civil or criminal nature or settlement negotiations, to which the state or a political subdivision is or may be a party or to which an officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision, as a consequence of the person's office or employment, is or may be a party; and (2) that the attorney general or the attorney of the political subdivision has determined should be withheld from public inspection. (b) For purpose of this section, the state or political subdivision is considered to be a party to litigation of a criminal nature until the applicable statute of limitations has expired or until the defendant has exhausted all appellate and post conviction remedies in state and federal court. TEX. GOV'T CODE § 552.103. The Act excepts records of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors. It provides: (a) A record of a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021. (b) An internal record or notation of a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that is maintained for internal use in matters relating to law enforcement or prosecution is excepted from the requirements of Section 552.021. TEX. GOV'T CODE § 552.108. When two sections of an act apply, and one is general and the other is specific, the specific controls. Lufkin v. City of Galveston, 63 Tex. 437 (1885). Both General Morales and Holmes agree that the Open Records Act excepts from disclosure in their entirety the District Attorney's active files for pending or anticipated litigation. See Tex. Gov't Code §§ 552.103 and 552.108. The question is whether the Act's blanket protection continues after a file is closed. We find that section 552.108 specifically applies to a prosecutor's internal records relating to law enforcement or prosecution. Therefore, it controls over the Act's general provisions. Consequently, we need not consider whether §§ 552.101 or 552.103 apply.