Public Records Information
In the United States, a federal law regulates the government's actions and the public's right to know about them. This law, known as Freedom of Information Act, gives detailed descriptions of what records become public.
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Freedom of Information Act
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Last amended in 2002, according to National Freedom of Information Coalition website, the Freedom of Information Act makes available to the public all the records of all government actions. Minutes from a local city council meeting, real estate transactions, marriage records, Congress's spending are equally open to public. But there are records that are not.
Criminal Cases
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The public cannot access many records related to criminal procedures in progress, because it can interfere with the work of the justice system. But arrest records, charge information, court hearings and results of trials become public.
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Other Exceptions
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The law protects any records that may endanger national security according to Section (b) of the Act. It also restricts access to personal financial records. Other laws, like HIPAA, cover medical records. There are various other exceptions that apply to federal, local and state governments, such as the right to keep lawsuits, real estate transactions and collective bargaining out of the public eye when they are in the negotiation stages.
The Meaning of the Laws to the Public
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The laws give the public a right to know what its government does. They provide the basis for a truly Democratic society. They also make background checks available to everybody. Depending on a state, some records are free and some cost a certain fee, according to information from the U.S. Department of Justice website.
Other Important Meaning of the Laws
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Media professionals have access to the public records and know how to utilize this right to the fullest. That's how they tell a lot of stories of real public significance. Many people get most of their public records access through the press in the form of court cases, crime reports, real estate transactions and legal notices.
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