by Cobb & Counsel | Aug 9, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
Governmental bodies are often wary to show the public how the sausage gets made. When a public information request implicates drafts of a government document, governmental bodies generally rely on two exceptions in the Texas Public Information Act as a basis for...
by Cobb & Counsel | Jul 19, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
If you work (or have worked) for a governmental body in Texas, did you know the texts on your personal cell phone and the emails from your personal email address might be public information? In 2019, the Texas Legislature closed a loophole in the Texas Public...
by Cobb & Counsel | Jun 10, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
The “dead suspect loophole” in the Texas Public Information Act allows police to hide records about cases that end without a conviction. Journalists and families of those who die in custody have criticized the law for years, but police unions have fought successfully...
by Cobb & Counsel | May 12, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
The Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) requires the court to award reasonable attorney fees to a requestor who “substantially prevails” in a suit to compel a governmental body to release public information. But there’s a major loophole that can leave the requestor...
by Cobb & Counsel | Apr 28, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
As a concerned citizen, investigative reporter, or sleuthing competitor, you may want to submit an open records request without revealing your identity to the governmental body. With some limited exceptions, a governmental body can’t refuse to respond to an open...
by Cobb & Counsel | Feb 17, 2022 | Public Information Act Requests
The Attorney General’s office has released an updated handbook on the Texas Public Information Act, including guidance on changes made by the 87th Texas Legislature. While the handbook is a helpful resource, the TPIA is a complex statutory scheme that can be difficult...
