Open Public Records Act

The Open Public Records Act (“OPRA”) requires that government records be readily accessible for inspection, copying, or examination. Citizens frequently use OPRA as a tool to compel public entities to provide copies of documents, as do litigants, political opponents of incumbent elected officials, and others. While Municipal Clerks constantly strive to make government more transparent to the public they serve, public entities must be cautious to avoid disclosing documents which do not constitute “government records,” or which are protected from disclosure.

Compliance with OPRA requests consumes valuable public resources. Local governments must differentiate between OPRA requests that require disclosure, and improper requests that may legally be opposed. The attorneys at Scarinci Hollenbeck have specific experience in responding to OPRA requests. We possess expertise in the statutory, administrative, and common law exceptions to disclosure under OPRA. Scarinci Hollenbeck stays abreast of new developments in OPRA case law, including the permissible reproduction fees, attorneys fees for successful OPRA requests, and the interplay between advances in technology and “paper world” conceptions of government records.