Public Information: Frequently Asked Questions

This is a request for public documents and records under Texas' Public Information Act or, Govt. Code 552 -- which states that you have the right to access government records.

Without a specific exception confirmed by the Texas Attorney General, all information is considered public. This can get complicated at times, but Govt. Code 552.101-552.151 lists general exceptions in which government bodies may seek at Attorney General opinion, requesting to withhold from public release. Also, in Open Records Decision No. 684, the Attorney General lists some information that may be withheld by a government agency without seeking a formal opinion.

No. A governmental body may not ask a requestor why they want the information or how it will be used.

No. According to the Texas Attorney General, there is no special form or wording required. Here's what is required of a public information request: a) It must be in writing; you can submit it through our app, U.S. Mail, or in person, typed or hand-written; all online or digital requests must be filed through our app to better track, monitor and fulfill your request; and, b) it should be for documents or information that are already in existence. You cannot "pre-order" a public document. It also helps for requestors to give us a way to easily contact them for clarifications. This saves everyone delays in getting their records.

It's best to be as specific as you can. We understand if you don't know the exact name of a document(s), but telling us what you want to view or copy can get a faster response. Overly broad or vague requests not only take longer to compile but could have information -- and copy costs -- that you may not even be interested in viewing.

Not always. Collin County posts a great many of its public records online for easy public access. We recommend reviewing our Online Services page, for starters. Also, our Open Government page explains where more documents -- mostly financial records of how we spend your tax dollars -- can be found.

Law Enforcement agencies keep arrest records and accident reports. You must go to the agency that made the report or arrest to request these kinds of records. Collin County government does not keep police records. For example, if you want an accident report in which the Plano Police Department responded, you need to contact Plano Police, not the county. Please contact the Collin County Sheriff's Office for more information from their Open Records section. This would also include county jail records.

All court records -- criminal or civil; traffic, misdemeanor, divorce, felony, or Probate are maintained by the clerks of the courts in which the case was filed, and can only be obtained through them. If you need to look up a case, please visit our Online Services page.

Rules for public access to court records are differ from those outlined in the Public Information Act.

Generally, the county charges $0.10 per copy page. Here is a more detailed fee list for the Public Information Act. Collin County policy is that, if we have a digital record available, we release it to you at no charge. Keep in mind, copy costs from court clerks for court records may be different.

No. You can ask to view the records and then decide what you want copied, if you wish.

Generally, yes. If the county has those records in electronic format, and you ask for them in that form, we make every effort to deliver them to you that way to save time and paper for all concerned. This includes spreadsheets, documents, reports and photos.

Generally, the county charges $0.10 per copy page. Here is a more detailed fee list for the Public Information Act. Collin County policy is that, if we have a digital record available, we release it to you at no charge. Keep in mind, copy costs from court clerks for court records may be different.

The County Administrator has designated the Public Information Office to ensure that all county departments are 100-percent compliant with the procedures and rules of the Public Information Act and county policy.

Generally, yes. There are some instances where certain information may be allowed to be redacted (certain private information removed), but public information requests and any resulting correspondence (email, letters, faxes) also become government documents and are subject to the rules of the Act.

We take Public Information Requests very seriously, and we work to turn over most public records requests in a few days, depending on the volume of reords and the complexity of the request. Our Public Infrmatoin Act app will give you a receipt when you submit it, so it can be tracked and monitored. If you have not received a response or some type of correspondence from us within 10 business days please feel free to contact the Public Information Office. If you feel we have not followed the law properly, you may file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General.

In some cases, people's information pops up on our databases as part of court, jail or land records of some type. The Public Information Act and the Rules of Judicial Administration (Rule 12), and other state law governs what is public, not county employees.