Can an Agency say No to a Public Records Request?
The short answer is rarely, if ever, can an agency say “no” to a public records request. The only real constraints or limitations that a person should face when asking to inspect or copy public records are guided by Section 119.07(1)(a), Florida Statutes. This statute limits inspection or copying to “any reasonable time, under reasonable conditions, and under supervision.” Otherwise, there should be no denial of a public record to anyone with a few caveats. First and foremost, the request has to be for an actual public record, not just any document. Although there are several points that could be made here, just a few are discussed below.
