Public Records
Making a public records request
The OCO is committed to providing the fullest access possible to the agency's public records, in accordance with the state Public Records Act. Certain records are exempt from disclosure under the Public Records Act and other laws. If a record is exempt from disclosure, we will provide the exemption and an explanation of how it applies.
Resources
- Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW
- Public Records, Chapter 16-06 WAC
- Records retention schedules for state agencies
Public disclosure of requests
The OCO Public Records Portal is maintained by an external vendor, GovQA. Your request and any supporting documents you provide are subject to public disclosure under the Washington State Public Records Act.
Make a public records request
To request a public record from the Office of the Corrections Ombuds, we recommend you do so through our online Public Records Request Center, where you can submit a request, communicate with public records officers about your request, and as soon as your records are ready, you can download them directly.
The Public Records Act requires government agencies five business days to respond to a request for a public record. The day the request is received does not count as one of the five days, nor do weekends and holidays observed by the agency.
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provide the records (or an installment of the records)
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acknowledge receipt of the request and give an estimated timetable for delivery
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ask for clarification
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deny the request with a statement as to why the record is being withheld and a citation of the applicable state or federal statute.
