Access with Attitude: An Advocate's Guide to Freedom of Information in Ohio

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“Access with Attitude is not just a road map. It’s more like a GPS, with pinpoint directions on the best way to get the records you need . . . and why you should not take ‘no’ for an answer.” —Jeff Hirsh, WKRC-TV, Cincinnati “I am so pleased to have had the opportunity to read this book. I am a busy practitioner in the area of public access, and I try hard to stay on top of the legal issues related to this area. But having now finished the book, I know more than before I started reading it. The legal advice is invaluable, but what sets the book apart are the practical tips. I suspect I will use this book on a daily basis in the coming years. I recommend it to lawyers, publishers, editors, reporters, and any citizen interested in government transparency.” —Jack Greiner, outside counsel to the Cincinnati Enquirer “Access with Attitude is a practical and insightful guide for dealing with an issue that vexes journalists across the state: how to hold governments accountable. Marburger and Idsvoog have created a useful reference for those forced to play an increasingly costly and time-consuming game of hide-and-seek with the public’s information.” —David Giles, associate general counsel, E. W. Scripps Co. “This book will open doors for anyone who wants information from an Ohio government. Journalists. Civic organizations. Parents with children in schools. Any taxpayer who’s curious about how his money is spent. Dave Marburger is Ohio’s foremost expert on public records, and with this book in your hands, you’re an expert, too. Access with Attitude doesn’t just tell you how to get records, it tells you what obstacles to expect and how to get around them.” —Chris Quinn, metro editor, Cleveland Plain Dealer Praise for Access with Attitude “Access with Attitude has both clarity and depth. It provides every citizen, every journalist, every lawyer, and every government office with a clear and straightforward guide to making Ohio’s Public Records Act work. It has examples of requests, tips on dos and don’ts, and lists of words to avoid and to include. Anyone who is contemplating making a request for government records will benefit from its clear and insightful suggestions: you’ll write a better request and get the records you seek with greater speed and ease, if you follow these authors’ advice. The book also offers insight into recent developments in Ohio’s public records law—from the shifting definition of a ‘record,’ to the complexities of seeking records from a ‘quasi-private’ entity. It exposes the wavering line between protecting privacy and producing public records, which the Ohio legislature and the Ohio Supreme Court have tried to draw. The book explains these complexities in a way that offers not only clarity for the layperson, but also a precise, well-supported, and sophisticated legal analysis that lawyers will turn to again and again. If you are going to have one book about how to access government records in Ohio, then Marburger and Idsvoog’s Access with Attitude is the one you want on your office shelf.” —Susan Gilles, John E. Sullivan Designated Professor of Law, Capital University Law School “Access with Attitude is a great reference and tool for journalists or anyone seeking public records. This book is a practical guide with real-world examples and clear explanations in plain language. This is like having your own personal open records lawyer at your fingertips with lessons and strategies for seeking public records.” —Roy S. Gutterman, professor of communications law and director of the Tully Center for Free Speech at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University “Access with Attitude provides an outstanding source of information for those seeking records in Ohio. And the strategies, tips, and overall approach it maps out provide a practical guide for anyone preparing to go into battle for access to public documents anywhere.” —Mark Horvit, executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and associate professor at the Missouri School of Journalism “I’ve seen David Marburger in action . . . his zealous and persuasive arguments on behalf of the First Amendment and courtroom access are a reflection of his skill and experience and could serve as a template for the right of access not just in Ohio but across the country.” —Grace Wong, senior field producer, In Session on truTV “Every...