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| What is a Public Information Request? |
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| What isn't considered a public record under the law? |
Without a specific exception confirmed by the Texas Attorney General, all information is considered public. This can get
complicated at times, but Govt. Code 552.101-552.151 lists general exceptions in which government bodies may seek at
Attorney General opinion, requesting to withhold from public release. Also, in Open Records Decision No. 684, the
Attorney General lists some information that may be withheld by a government agency without seeking a formal
opinion. |
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| Can a government body ask me why I want its records? |
No. A governmental body may not ask a requestor why they want the information or how it will be used. |
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| Do I need to use a special form or wording to file a request? |
No. According to the Texas Attorney General, there is no special form or wording required. Here's what is required of
a
public information request: a) It must be in writing; you can submit it through our app, U.S.
Mail, or in person, typed
or hand-written; all online or digital requests must be filed through our app
to better track, monitor and fulfill your
request; and, b) it should be for documents or information that are already in existence. You cannot "pre-order" a
public document. It also helps for requestors to give us a way to easily contact them for clarifications. This saves
everyone delays in getting their records. |
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| What do I ask for? |
It's best to be as specific as you can. We understand if you don't know the exact name of a document(s), but telling
us what you want to view or copy can get a faster response. Overly broad
or vague requests not only take longer to
compile but could have information -- and copy costs -- that you may not even be interested in viewing. |
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| Is it mandatory to file an official request for every piece of information I want? |
Not always. Collin County posts a great many of its public records online for easy public access. We recommend
reviewing
our Online Services page, for starters. Also, our Open Government page explains where more documents -- mostly
financial
records of how we spend your tax dollars -- can be found. |
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| Where can I get police records? |
Law Enforcement agencies keep arrest records and accident reports.
You must go to the agency that made the report or
arrest to request these kinds of records. Collin County government does not keep police records. For example, if you
want an accident report in which the Plano Police Department responded, you need to contact Plano Police, not the
county. Please contact the Collin County Sheriff's Office for more information from their Open Records section. This
would also include county jail records. |
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| Where can I get court records? |
All court records -- criminal or civil; traffic, misdemeanor, divorce or felony, Probate -- are kept by the clerks of
the courts in which the case was filed, and can only be obtained through them. If you need to look up a case, please
visit our Online Services page. Rules for public access to court records are different from
the Public Information Act,
and can be viewed here. |
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| What do copies cost? |
Generally, the county charges $0.10 per copy page. Here is a more detailed fee list for the Public
Information Act.
Collin County policy is that, if we have a digital record available, we release it to you at no charge. Keep
in
mind, copy costs from court clerks for court records may be different. |
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| Do I have to get copies? |
No. You can ask to view the records and then decide what you want copied, if you wish. |
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| Can I get documents in electronic form? |
Generally, yes. If the county has those records in electronic format, and you ask for them in that form, we make every effort to deliver them to you that way to save time and paper for all concerned. This includes spreadsheets, documents, reports and photos. |
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| What is Collin County's policy on Public Information Requests? |
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| Does my Public Information Request become a public record? |
Generally, yes. There are some instances where certain information may be allowed to be redacted (certain private information removed), but public information requests and any resulting correspondence (email, letters, faxes) also become government documents and are subject to the rules of the Act. |
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| What if the county ignores my request? |
We take Public Information Requests very seriously, and we work to turn over most public records requests in a
few
days, depending on the volume of reords and the complexity of the request. Our Public Infrmatoin Act app will
give
you a receipt when you submit it, so it can be tracked and monitored. If you have not received a response or
some
type of correspondence from us within 10 business days please feel free to contact the Public Information Office. If
you feel we have not followed the law properly, you may file a complaint with the Texas Attorney
General. |
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| How do I remove public information about me on your website? |
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