Access Denied: Public Agencies and the Release of Public Records

By D. Michael Crites and Barbara J. Jordan*   When a public records request is received, it is often difficult to know what you must supply and, if you feel you should deny the request, what steps you should take to ensure you are in compliance with the law. Defending your institution's decision to deny a public records request can not only be costly, but a lawsuit over what unfortunately often appears to be an attempt to hide something can detrimentally affect your institution's reputation