Prison Kites, UAPs and Nudity

Ohio Public Records Briefing -- Issue #38

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Fun Fact

Today’s fun fact deals with the all-important question: where can a citizen who thinks he or she was denied access to public records file a mandamus or public records lawsuit against your agency? An aggrieved citizen or organization can file their legal papers in any of four courts: the Court of Common Pleas in the county where your agency is, the Court of Appeals for your county, the Ohio Supreme Court, or the Ohio Court of Claims.

If you’re thinking that this allows the person suing (called a “Relator” in the proper legal parlance) to shop for the best court, then you’re pretty smart (It never gets old!). Lawyers call this “forum shopping.”