Important: This tool helps you format documents for court filing. It does NOT provide legal advice and is NOT a substitute for an attorney. No attorney-client relationship is created.
Advocate Toolkit / Public Records & AG Petitions
How Do You Get Public Records When an Oregon Agency Stonewalls?
This page gives you free tools to request public records from any Oregon state agency and to fight back when they refuse. If DHS, OHA, the DOJ, or any other agency is sitting on records you have a right to, these generators build a proper request under ORS 192 and, if needed, a petition asking the Attorney General to order production.
When do you need this?
You need these tools when a government agency has information you are entitled to see and they are making it hard. Maybe you asked for an investigation file, emails, reports, or meeting minutes, and got silence. Maybe they claimed an exemption that does not sound right. Maybe they quoted a fee designed to make you give up, or told you the request was too broad.
Oregon's public records law, ORS 192.311 through 192.478, presumes records are public unless a specific exemption applies. Agencies generally must respond within a defined period after a request under ORS 192.324. The more specific your request -- the exact records, date ranges, people, and reference numbers -- the harder it is for them to dodge it.
When an agency denies, stalls, or ignores you, you can petition the Attorney General under ORS 192.407 and ORS 192.411 to order the records produced. Here is the key: the burden is on the agency to prove the records are exempt, not on you to prove they are public. The AG generally decides quickly, and an agency that delayed without reasonable cause can face consequences. These are the same processes an investigative journalist uses -- and they work.
The free tools in this category
Public Records Request Under ORS 192
Send a formal public records request to any Oregon state agency (DHS, OHA, DOJ, etc.). Under ORS 192.324, agencies must respond within 5 business days. If they deny your request, you can petition the Attorney General to order production.
Petition to Attorney General to Compel Production of Records
When a state agency denies your records request or fails to respond, petition the Oregon Attorney General under ORS 192.411. The AG must decide within 7 days. The burden is on the AGENCY to prove the records are exempt. Agencies can be fined $200/day for undue delay.
How does it work?
You choose whether you are making an initial records request or petitioning the Attorney General after a denial. The tool asks plain-English questions: which agency, exactly what records you want, the date range and people involved, and -- for a petition -- how the agency responded and what exemption they claimed. You answer in your own words.
It then assembles a properly framed request letter or AG petition as a Word file. An optional AI pass can sharpen your wording so the request is specific and hard to brush off, and you always review and approve it. Nothing is stored on our servers; your draft stays in your browser until you generate it. Then you review it, sign it, and send it to the agency or the AG. Read it carefully first. These processes have deadlines that are strict and vary -- verify yours -- and an attorney's review can help on a contested petition.
Start your filing — freeFrequently asked questions
How do I request public records in Oregon?
You send a written request to the agency's records custodian describing the records you want. Oregon's public records law, ORS 192.311 through 192.478, presumes records are public unless a specific exemption applies, and under ORS 192.324 agencies generally must respond within a defined time after receiving a request. The single most useful thing you can do is be specific: name the exact records, the date range, the people involved, and any case or reference numbers. A precise request is much harder for an agency to dismiss as overbroad. This tool helps you draft a request that is clear, specific, and hard to ignore.
What can I do if an Oregon agency denies my records request?
You can petition the Oregon Attorney General to order the records produced, under ORS 192.407 and ORS 192.411 (for state agencies; for local bodies the petition generally goes to the district attorney). The crucial point is that the burden is on the agency to prove a record is exempt -- not on you to prove it is public. In your petition, describe what you asked for and when, how the agency responded, what exemption they cited, and why that is wrong. The AG generally decides within a short window. This tool builds that petition for you.
How long does an agency have to respond in Oregon?
Under ORS 192.324, Oregon agencies generally must acknowledge or respond to a public records request within a defined period after receiving it, and then complete their response as soon as practicable without unreasonable delay. The exact timelines and what counts as a complete response can be technical, and deadlines are strict and vary by situation -- verify yours. If an agency blows past the deadline or drags things out without reasonable cause, that delay itself can become part of your case when you petition the Attorney General. Keep a dated record of when you sent your request and every response you get.
Who has the burden of proof in an Oregon records dispute?
The agency does. Under Oregon's public records law, records are presumed public, and when disclosure is challenged the burden is on the agency to prove that a specific exemption applies. You do not have to prove a record should be public -- they have to justify keeping it secret. This matters enormously in how you frame an AG petition: you are not begging for access, you are pointing out that the agency has failed to carry its burden. Make them name the exemption and defend it. If they cannot, the records generally should be released.
What if the agency charges huge fees for records?
Agencies can charge reasonable fees for locating and copying records, but fees are sometimes used to discourage requesters. You can ask the agency to itemize and justify its charges, and you can request a fee waiver or reduction when disclosure primarily benefits the public rather than you personally -- explaining the public interest in your request. If a fee estimate seems designed to make you give up, that can also be raised when you petition the Attorney General. Framing your request narrowly and specifically helps keep costs down and undercuts any claim that gathering the records is burdensome.
Are these records tools really free, and who built them?
Yes, the tools are free. They were built by an Oregon investigative journalist who uses these exact public records processes himself and wanted ordinary people to have the same reach. Your draft stays in your browser and is not stored on our servers unless you choose to generate it. The tools prepare your request or petition; you review, sign, and send it. They are not legal advice, and a contested records fight can get technical, so read what you file carefully and get an attorney's help on a difficult petition when you can. But for most requests, a clear, specific letter is all it takes to start.
Valor Investigations is not a law firm and these tools are not legal advice. They produce drafts based on your answers; you are responsible for reviewing, verifying deadlines, and filing. When possible, have a licensed Oregon attorney review your documents before filing.