Opinion: No blanket exemption for email on personal account

Q: I requested access to e-mails sent between council members and the mayor of a local agency. The agency denied my request on the basis that the agency does not provide e-mail accounts to council or the mayor, and the e-mails are sent from personal e-mail addresses. Can they do that? Read More...

State revises access policy for court documents

The prevalence of identity theft is one of the reasons the state has revised its paper record access policy for magisterial district courts. “Personal financial and Social Security information are two key elements of the kind that will not be included in court files for public review,” said Stuart Ditzen, assistant for communications, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
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Allentown sues Morning Call, reporter, open records office

Allentown is suing The Morning Call, reporter Jarrett Renshaw and the state Office of Open Records, claiming the agency improperly ruled on Renshaw's request under the year-old Right-to-Know Law for the official e-mails and schedules of Mayor Ed Pawlowski and other administration officials. Read More...

Judge rules to release names as sewer records fight ends after 8 months

An eight-month fight over the identities of Sharon sewer customers who collectively owe about $1 million in unpaid bills ended Tuesday with a judge agreeing with the state Office of Open Records and ordering the records be released. Read More...

WGAL-TV appeals ruling barring it from information on college student's death

A midstate TV station is appealing a Cumberland County judge’s ruling barring it from information on a Shippensburg University student’s death. Read More...

Prison board OKs release of inmate photographs

Mercer County Prison Board on Tuesday ruled that inmate photographs from Mercer County Jail can be released to the press after a Herald request made earlier this month. Read More...

Bucks County appeals state Office of Open Records decision

Bucks County officials do not believe the record of when two employees – opponents in a county election – entered the courthouse each day should be a matter of public information. Read More...

Beaver Co. Times' open records appeal upheld

The state Office of Open Records this week upheld an appeal by The Beaver County Times of a fee imposed by the State Employees Retirement System for providing information under Pennsylvania’s open-records law. Read More...

Ruling: County must make prison receipts public

Lackawanna County must obtain and provide to The Times-Tribune any receipts and invoices related to the cost of medical care at Lackawanna County Prison between November 2004 and November 2009, the state Office of Open Records has ruled. Read More...

Allentown fights open records ruling

Allentown officials are appealing an administrative ruling ordering the city to provide the e-mails and records of daily schedules for Mayor Ed Pawlowski and two Cabinet members to a reporter from The Morning Call. Read More...