 ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS GREG ABBOTT | |
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January 7, 2005 Ms. Mia Settle-Vinson
OR2005-00269 Dear Ms. Settle-Vinson: You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 216441. The Houston Police Department (the "department") received a request for a specific incident report and all other incident reports for the past three years that relate to a named individual. You claim that the requested information is excepted from disclosure under sections 552.101, 552.108, and 552.130 of the Government Code. We have considered the exceptions you claim and reviewed the submitted information. Section 552.101 of the Government Code excepts from disclosure "information considered to be confidential by law, either constitutional, statutory, or by judicial decision." Gov't Code § 552.101. This section encompasses information protected by the common law right to privacy, which protects information if it is highly intimate or embarrassing such that its release would be highly objectionable to a reasonable person, and the public has no legitimate interest in it. Indus. Found. v. Tex. Indus. Accident Bd., 540 S.W.2d 668 (Tex. 1976). Where an individual's criminal history information has been compiled by a governmental entity, the information takes on a character that implicates the individual's right to privacy. See United States Dep't of Justice v. Reporters Comm. for Freedom of the Press, 489 U.S. 749 (1989). However, information that refers to an individual solely as a victim, witness, or involved person is not private under Reporters Committee and may not be withheld under section 552.101 on that basis. In this instance, the requestor asks for a specific report and all other reports pertaining to a named individual. The request for the specific report does not implicate this individual's right to privacy. However, the second part of the request requires the department to compile the named individual's criminal history, to the extent any such history exists, and thus implicates this individual's right to privacy. Therefore, to the extent that the department maintains records in which the named individual is portrayed as a suspect, defendant, or arrestee, such information is excepted from disclosure in its entirety under section 552.101 and the common law right to privacy. Next, we address your claim under section 552.108 of the Government Code. Section 552.108(a) of the Government Code excepts from disclosure "[i]nformation held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime . . . if: (1) release of the information would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime." Generally, a governmental body claiming section 552.108 must reasonably explain how and why the release of the requested information would interfere with law enforcement. See Gov't Code §§ 552.108(a)(1), (b)(1), .301(e)(1)(A); see also Ex parte Pruitt, 551 S.W.2d 706 (Tex. 1977). You assert that the information in Exhibits 2-5 is excepted from disclosure under section 552.108(a)(1) of the Government Code. You inform us that Exhibits 2 and 4 pertain to open and active cases. You state that Exhibits 3 and 5 relate to inactive investigations. You also state that the statute of limitations has not run in these cases and that "the investigations may be reactivated once additional leads are developed." Based upon these representations, we conclude that you have established that release of Exhibits 2-5 "would interfere with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime." See Houston Chronicle Publ'g Co. v. City of Houston, 531 S.W.2d 177 (Tex. Civ. App.--Houston [14th Dist.] 1975), writ ref'd n.r.e. per curiam, 536 S.W.2d 559 (Tex. 1976) (court delineates law enforcement interests that are present in active cases). Therefore, we agree that section 552.108(a)(1) is applicable to the information in Exhibits 2-5. However, section 552.108 is inapplicable to basic information about an arrested person, an arrest, or a crime. Gov't Code § 552.108(c). Such basic information refers to the information held to be public in Houston Chronicle. See 531 S.W.2d 177; Open Records Decision No. 127 (1976) (summarizing types of information considered to be basic information). Thus, with the exception of basic information, you may withhold the remaining information in Exhibits 2-5 from disclosure pursuant to section 552.108(a)(1). We note that you have the discretion to release all or part of this information that is not otherwise confidential by law. Gov't Code § 552.007. In summary, to the extent the department maintains records in which the named individual is portrayed as a suspect, defendant, or arrestee, it must withhold such information in its entirety under section 552.101 of the Government Code and the common law right to privacy. With the exception of the basic front page offense and arrest information, which must be released, the department may withhold Exhibits 2-5 from disclosure based on section 552.108(a)(1) of the Government Code.(1) This letter ruling is limited to the particular records at issue in this request and limited to the facts as presented to us; therefore, this ruling must not be relied upon as a previous determination regarding any other records or any other circumstances. This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For example, governmental bodies are prohibited from asking the attorney general to reconsider this ruling. Gov't Code § 552.301(f). If the governmental body wants to challenge this ruling, the governmental body must appeal by filing suit in Travis County within 30 calendar days. Id. § 552.324(b). In order to get the full benefit of such an appeal, the governmental body must file suit within 10 calendar days. Id. § 552.353(b)(3), (c). If the governmental body does not appeal this ruling and the governmental body does not comply with it, then both the requestor and the attorney general have the right to file suit against the governmental body to enforce this ruling. Id. § 552.321(a). If this ruling requires the governmental body to release all or part of the requested information, the governmental body is responsible for taking the next step. Based on the statute, the attorney general expects that, within 10 calendar days of this ruling, the governmental body will do one of the following three things: 1) release the public records; 2) notify the requestor of the exact day, time, and place that copies of the records will be provided or that the records can be inspected; or 3) notify the requestor of the governmental body's intent to challenge this letter ruling in court. If the governmental body fails to do one of these three things within 10 calendar days of this ruling, then the requestor should report that failure to the attorney general's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. The requestor may also file a complaint with the district or county attorney. Id. § 552.3215(e). If this ruling requires or permits the governmental body to withhold all or some of the requested information, the requestor can appeal that decision by suing the governmental body. Id. § 552.321(a); Texas Dep't of Pub. Safety v. Gilbreath, 842 S.W.2d 408, 411 (Tex. App.--Austin 1992, no writ). Please remember that under the Act the release of information triggers certain procedures for costs and charges to the requestor. If records are released in compliance with this ruling, be sure that all charges for the information are at or below the legal amounts. Questions or complaints about over-charging must be directed to Hadassah Schloss at the Texas Building and Procurement Commission at (512) 475-2497. If the governmental body, the requestor, or any other person has questions or comments about this ruling, they may contact our office. We note that a third party may challenge this ruling by filing suit seeking to withhold information from a requestor. Gov't Code § 552.325. Although there is no statutory deadline for contacting us, the attorney general prefers to receive any comments within 10 calendar days of the date of this ruling. Sincerely, Caroline E. Cho
c: Mr. Ronald Shibley
Footnotes 1. As our ruling is dispositive, we need not address your remaining claim against disclosure. POST OFFICE BOX 12548, AUSTIN, TEXAS 78711-2548 TEL: (512) 463-2100 WEB:WWW.OAG.STATE.TX.US |