Opinion
Opinion By: Jack Conway, Attorney General; Michelle D. Harrison, Assistant Attorney General
Open Records Decision
The question presented in this appeal is whether the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney for the 30th Judicial Circuit violated the Kentucky Open Records Act in denying Michael A. Whitehead's October 11, 2013, request for a copy of "the 911 call/transcript made to Louisville MetroSafe from 812-557-0696 at approximately 1653 HRS from 1726 Bonnyville Boulevard, Apt. 5 Louisville, Kentucky 40216." Mr. Whitehead also requested "a summary of any records in your possession and my status as it related under the law to obtain them." 1 In a timely written response, First Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Mark L. Miller advised Mr. Whitehead, on behalf of Commonwealth's Attorney Thomas B. Wine, that his request was denied on the basis of KRS 61.878(1)(h). 2 Mr. Whitehead challenged the denial by letter dated November 22, 2013, and received in this office November 26, 2013, but also enclosed a copy of a letter directed to him by Mr. Miller on November 15, 2013, advising that to the extent his November 7, 2013, letter "is the same request as in your October 11, 2013 letter, our response is the same. See attached." To the extent Mr. Whitehead requested a copy of his October 11, 2013, request, Mr. Miller also indicated that a copy was enclosed. Mr. Whitehead did not include a copy of the referenced November 7, 2013, request letter when he resubmitted his appeal by letter dated November 22, 2013.
Existing legal authority construing the mandatory language of KRS 61.878(1)(h), including 13-ORD-198, a copy of which is attached for the parties' reference, validates the agency's denial; however, this office is precluded from otherwise addressing the merits of Mr. Whitehead's appeal pursuant to KRS 197.025(3) and 61.880(2)(a).
Pursuant to KRS 197.025(3):
KRS 61.870 to 61.884 to the contrary notwithstanding, all persons confined in a penal facility shall challenge any denial of an open record with the Attorney General by mailing or otherwise sending the appropriate documents to the Attorney General within twenty (20) days of the denial pursuant to the procedures set out in KRS 61.880(2) before an appeal can be filed in a Circuit Court.
As previously indicated, the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney denied Mr. Whitehead's October 11, 2013, request by letter dated October 17, 2013. Having initially failed to include the "appropriate documents" per KRS 61.880(2)(a), Mr. Whitehead resubmitted his appeal by letter dated November 22, 2013, after the statutory time frame of 20 days had elapsed. A rule of strict compliance applies to tardy appeals. Johnson v. Smith, 885 S.W.2d 944 (Ky. 1994); City of Devondale v. Stallings, 795 S.W.2d 954 (Ky. 1990). "Such appeals are subject to automatic dismissal." 12-ORD-121, p. 2; 12-ORD-144; 12-ORD-203. Because Mr. Whitehead is a "person[] confined in a penal facility," and he failed to challenge the agency's denial of his request within 20 days, Mr. Whitehead's November 22, 2013, appeal (received November 26) is untimely; accordingly, this office is precluded from addressing the merits of his appeal by operation of KRS 197.025(3). To hold otherwise would circumvent the intent of the General Assembly as expressed in KRS 197.025(3). See 07-ORD-058; 08-ORD-209.
To the extent Mr. Whitehead attempted to challenge Mr. Miller's identical disposition of his November 7, 2013, request, his appeal is otherwise deficient. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(2)(a):
If a complaining party wishes the Attorney General to review a public agency's denial of a request to inspect a public record, the complaining party shall forward to the Attorney General a copy of the written request and a copy of the written response denying inspection. If the public agency refuses to provide a written response, a complaining party shall provide a copy of the written request. The Attorney General shall review the request and denial and issue within twenty (20) days, excepting Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, a written decision stating whether the agency violated provisions of KRS 61.870 to 61.884.
In sum, the written request and the agency's written response, if any, comprise the record upon which the Attorney General relies in reviewing the actions of a public agency. Thus, 40 KAR 1:030, Section 1 provides that "[t]he Attorney General shall not consider a complaint that fails to conform to . . . KRS 61.880(2), requiring the submission of a written request to the public agency and the public agency's written denial, if the agency provided a denial." Because Mr. Whitehead failed to provide this office with a copy of his November 7, 2013, request letter, his appeal is deficient relative to same and this office is therefore precluded from addressing the merits of the agency's November 15, 2013, denial per KRS 61.880(2)(a) and 40 KAR 1:030, Section 1. See 11-ORD-153.
A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceeding.
Distributed to:
Michael A. Whitehead, # 235196Mark L. Miller
Footnotes
Footnotes
1 Even if Mr. Whitehead's appeal was not untimely, this office clarified early on that "[t]he purpose of the Open Records Law is not to provide information, but to provide access to public records which are not exempt by law." OAG 79-547, p. 2; 04-ORD-144. Accordingly, the Attorney General has consistently held that requests for information as opposed to requests for public records do not have to be honored. 00-ORD-76, p. 3, citing OAG 76-375; 04-ORD-080.
2 Mr. Whitehead initially attempted to appeal this denial by letter dated October 29, 2013, but failed to include a copy of his written request per KRS 61.880(2)(a). This office advised him of the deficiency in a letter dated November 6, 2013, further explaining that "KRS 61.878(1)(h) authorizes county attorneys and Commonwealth's Attorneys to withhold 'records or information . . . pertaining to criminal investigations or criminal litigation' even after enforcement action is completed," and suggesting that Mr. Whitehead might wish to submit his request to a different public agency that has custody of the records being sought. Mr. Whitehead acknowledged receipt of the November 6 letter in his November 22, 2013, letter of appeal.
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