The PA Right to Know Law Blog, published by Francis G.X. Pileggi, focuses on issues related to the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law (RTKL), including public access to government records, exemptions from disclosure, and legal interpretations of transparency statutes. The blog covers case law developments, administrative decisions by the Office of Open Records, and court rulings affecting public records requests. It addresses topics such as exemptions for law enforcement records, identity verification for requesters, and the application of privileges like attorney-client and work-product doctrines in the context of RTKL. The blog also discusses procedural aspects of appeals and the balance between public interest and confidentiality under Pennsylvania law.
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
In a Final Determination entered on May 14, 2021, the OOR dismissed a RTKL Request for certain voter registration information because that information is expressly made available through the Pennsylvania…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
In a Final Determination entered on April 15, 2021, the OOR found that a request for e-mails to and from a number of agency staff or officials involving a large…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On February 26, 2021, the OOR entered a Final Determination holding that responsive documents in the possession of a company hired by a Commonwealth agency to “perform a governmental function…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
The OOR issued a Final Determination recently, holding that a Request seeking election-related data does not necessarily need to state a time period from which records are being requested in…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On July 27, 2020, Act 77 of 2020 (“Act 77”) became law without Governor Wolf’s signature, and is codified as 71 P.S. §§ 720.301, et seq.
In a July 28,…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On January 11, 2021, the OOR entered a Final Determination holding that a Request seeking data relating to protected COVID-19 records that had previously been made public by the Pennsylvania…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held in Uniontown Newspapers, Inc. v. Pa. Dep’t of Corrections, 2020 Pa. LEXIS 6488 (Dec. 22, 2020), that a requester of documents was entitled to attorneys’ fees…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On August 14, 2020, the OOR entered a Final Determination holding that some categories of information relating to personnel hired to work with infection prevention and control at a nursing…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On June 9, 2020, the Commonwealth Court handed down a decision in Pennsylvania Dep’t of Labor and Industry v. Chester Darlington, No. 1583 C.D. 2019 (Pa. Commw.). The decision upheld…
This synopsis was prepared by Pennsylvania attorney Catherine Olanich Raymond.
On July 28, 2020, the OOR entered a Final Determination holding that a Request defined solely by a collection of broad keywords and a specific time frame is sufficiently specific…
