July 11, 2011

Mr. Fred M. Barker

First Assistant County Attorney

Parker County

118 West Columbia Street

Weatherford, Texas 76086

OR2011-09729

Dear Mr. Barker:

You ask whether certain information is subject to required public disclosure under the Public Information Act (the "Act"), chapter 552 of the Government Code. Your request was assigned ID# 423367.

The Parker County Sheriff's Office (the "sheriff") received a request for all information pertaining to case number 2006-08112. You state the sheriff has provided some of the requested information, including basic information, to the requestor. See Gov't Code § 552.108(c) (stating basic information about arrested person, arrest, or crime may not be withheld under section 552.108); Open Records Decision No. 127 (1976) (summarizing types of information considered to be basic information). You claim the remaining requested information is excepted from disclosure under sections 552.108, 552.130, and 552.138 of the Government Code. We have considered the exceptions you claim and reviewed the submitted information.

Section 552.108(a)(2) 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 . . . it is information that deals with the detection, investigation, or prosecution of crime only in relation to an investigation that did not result in conviction or deferred adjudication[.]" Gov't Code § 552.108(a)(2). Section 552.108(a)(2) is applicable only if the information at issue relates to a concluded criminal case that did not result in a conviction or deferred adjudication. A governmental body that claims an exception to disclosure under section 552.108 must reasonably explain how and why this exception is applicable to the information the governmental body seeks to withhold. See id. § 552.301(e)(1)(A); see Ex parte Pruitt, 551 S.W.2d 706 (Tex. 1977). You assert the information at issue pertains to a concluded criminal investigation that did not result in a conviction or deferred adjudication. Accordingly, the sheriff may withhold the information at issue under section 552.108(a)(2) of the Government Code. ⁽¹⁾ We note you have the discretion to release all or part of this information that is not otherwise confidential by law. Gov't Code § 552.007.

This letter ruling is limited to the particular information 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 information or any other circumstances.

This ruling triggers important deadlines regarding the rights and responsibilities of the governmental body and of the requestor. For more information concerning those rights and responsibilities, please visit our website at http://www.oag.state.tx.us/open/index_orl.php, or call the Office of the Attorney General's Open Government Hotline, toll free, at (877) 673-6839. Questions concerning the allowable charges for providing public information under the Act must be directed to the Cost Rules Administrator of the Office of the Attorney General, toll free, at (888) 672-6787.

Sincerely,

Leah B. Wingerson

Assistant Attorney General

Open Records Division

LBW/dls

Ref: ID# 423367

Enc. Submitted documents

c: Requestor

(w/o enclosures)

Footnotes

1. As our ruling is dispositive, we need not address your remaining arguments against disclosure for portions of this information.

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