Public records are documents made or kept by federal, state, or local government in the course of official business. Federal law, including the Federal Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act, governs how these records are preserved, accessed, and disclosed. Concealing, removing, altering, or destroying a public record is a federal crime, because the records are meant to remain available for oversight, accountability, and historical review.
Public records are the paper trail that lets the public, watchdog groups, and courts reconstruct what government officials did. If records vanish or are concealed, accountability gets harder long before a trial or election arrives.
People often think every government document is open on demand. Many are not. Access rules differ by institution and by law, and sealed or classified records can stay out of public view for years.
Public records are the paper trail that lets the public, watchdog groups, and courts reconstruct what government officials did. If records vanish or are concealed, accountability gets harder long before a trial or election arrives.
People often think every government document is open on demand. Many are not. Access rules differ by institution and by law, and sealed or classified records can stay out of public view for years.