ACCESS TO ATLANTIC COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS and the OPEN PUBLIC
RECORDS ACT (OPRA)
 The
Open Public Records Act became effective on July 7, 2002. It amended the
prior Right to Know Law. Under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), members
of the public may have access to public records held by Atlantic County.
INFORMATION ON OPRA
The underlying purpose of OPRA is to provide that government records,
with certain exceptions, be available for public inspection and copying.
Not all records are disclosable under OPRA. Exceptions to public accessibility
are based on such principles as: a reasonable expectation of privacy by
citizens regarding records in the possession of a public agency; public
safety concerns; and the need to foster unrestrained discussion and consideration
of issues inside public agencies.
(See "A Citizen's Guide to the Open Public Records Act" by the
Government Records Council at http://www.nj.gov/grc/citizens.html
.) The State of New Jersey established the Government Records Council
to assist in disseminating information about OPRA. For more information
on your right to obtain records under OPRA go to their web site at http://www.nj.gov/grc
. You may also contact them by phone at their toll free information line:
866-850-0511. Their mailing address is: Government Records Council, P.
O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ 08625
INFORMAL REQUESTS FOR COUNTY RECORDS
Routine requests for documents may still be made informally, directly
to the holder of the record you are seeking. However, informal requests
are not governed by OPRA. If the holder of the record you are seeking
believes that a formal request would be more appropriate, they may request
that you file an Atlantic County Request for Government Records Form with
the Custodian of Records for Atlantic County.
REQUESTS UNDER OPRA FOR COUNTY RECORDS
You may also direct your initial request to the Custodian of Records by
using the Atlantic County Request for Government Records Form. In order
for the request to be covered by the Open Public Records Act, the Atlantic
County Request for Government Records Form must be submitted to the Custodian
in person, by mail, or by FAX at 609-343-2373. The form is available as
a downloadable pdf file from the link on this page (left) or from the
Custodian at :
Atlantic County Custodian of Records
Department of Law
1333 Atlantic Ave. 8th floor
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
phone: 609-343-2279
FAX: 609-343-2373
Please be specific when requesting documents. If you know which County
office has the records you want, please include that information. Also,
indicate a date or time frame for the documents you want. Provide any
information that would assist the Custodian in determining what specific
documents you are seeking.
OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES
Some county agencies have their own Custodian of Records. They are: the
County Prosecutor, the County Clerk, the County Sheriff, the Board of
Elections, the Superintendent of Elections, the Superintendent of Schools,
the Board of Taxation, Atlantic Cape Community College, the Atlantic County
Improvement Authority and the Atlantic County Utilities Authority. The
County Surrogate is subject to the Court rules on disclosure. Contact
these entities directly for their records. |
