<commit_before>---
title: Non-lawyer tips for responding to possible PRA violations
date: '2016-08-02 20:42:41'
layout: page
---<commit_msg>Update from Forestry.io - non-lawyer-tips-for-responding-to-possible-pra-violations.md<commit_after>---
title: Non-lawyer tips for making public records requests and appealing possible violations
date: '2016-08-02 20:42:00'
layout: page
---
This is in the very very early stages.

The author(s) of this guide is not attorneys and this is not legal advice. 

# Records denials

## Active investigation

In order to categorically deny records because of an active investigation the records must be complied by a law enforcement agency. [http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/896291.pdf](http://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/896291.pdf)


"Records are essential to effective law enforcement if the investigation is leading toward an enforcement proceeding."
https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=2133172891969218919
"In determining if an investigation is leading toward an enforcement proceeding, the federal courts examine (1) "affidavits by people with direct knowledge of and responsibility for the investigation ..."; (2) whether resources are allocated to the investigation; and (3) whether enforcement proceedings are contemplated."

# Format denials

There are agencies that deny requests for records in electronic format or in a particular format. I have found that the best way to get records such as emails in a machine readable format such as EML, PST, or MSG is to request the records with their meta-data. Printing or converting to PDF typically doesn't preserve meta-data. If a record requires redact as for the email to be edited in notepad. 
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