ORS 192.431: Court authority in reviewing action denying right to inspect public records; docketing; costs and attorney fees.
Edition: 2025 EditionEffective: 2026-01-01Last verified: 2026-09-07
(1) In any suit filed under ORS 192.401, 192.411, 192.415, 192.422 or 192.427, the court has jurisdiction to enjoin the public body from withholding records and to order the production of any records improperly withheld from the person seeking disclosure. The court shall determine the matter de novo and the burden is on the public body to sustain its action. The court, on its own motion, may view the documents in controversy in camera before reaching a decision. Any noncompliance with the order of the court may be punished as contempt of court. (2) Except as to causes the court considers of greater importance, proceedings arising under ORS 192.401, 192.411, 192.415, 192.422 or 192.427 take precedence on the docket over all other causes and shall be assigned for hearing and trial at the earliest practicable date and expedited in every way. (3) If a person seeking the right to inspect or to receive a copy of a public record prevails in the suit, the person shall be awarded costs and disbursements and reasonable attorney fees at trial and on appeal. If the person prevails in part, the court may in its discretion award the person costs and disbursements and reasonable attorney fees at trial and on appeal, or an appropriate portion thereof. If the state agency failed to comply with the Attorney General’s order in full and did not issue a notice of intention to institute proceedings pursuant to ORS 192.411 (2) within seven days after issuance of the order, or did not institute the proceedings within seven days after issuance of the notice, the petitioner shall be awarded costs of suit at the trial level and reasonable attorney fees regardless of which party instituted the suit and regardless of which party prevailed therein. [Formerly 192.490]
Administrative rules citing this section
- OAR 115-040-0040: Exemption from Disclosure Under ORS 192.410 to 192.505 and Inadmissibility of Mediation Communication Pursuant to OEC Rule 408 — implements
- OAR 115-040-0041: Applicability of Mediator Disclosure Rules — implements
- OAR 115-040-0042: Mediator May Not Disclose Mediation Communications in Subsequent Proceedings — implements
- OAR 115-040-0043: Mediator May Disclose Certain Mediation Communications — implements
- OAR 115-040-0044: Notice of Disclosure of Mediation Communications — implements
- OAR 123-005-0000: Applicability of Rules and Definitions — implements
- OAR 123-005-0010: Access to Records — implements
- OAR 123-005-0020: Requests to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 123-005-0030: Payment for Inspection and Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 123-052-2400: Confidential Records — implements
- OAR 123-052-2400: Confidential Records — authority
- OAR 125-020-0010: Definitions — implements
- OAR 125-020-0020: Applicability of Rules — implements
- OAR 125-020-0030: Access to Public Records — implements
- OAR 125-020-0040: Requests to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 125-020-0050: Fees for Public Records and Other Services — implements
- OAR 170-002-0002: Procedure to Request Public Records — authority
- OAR 255-015-0002: Board Records — authority
- OAR 255-015-0003: Oral Record of Hearing — implements
- OAR 330-001-0025: Public Records Request — implements
- OAR 340-011-0310: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Purpose — implements
- OAR 340-011-0310: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Purpose — authority
- OAR 340-011-0320: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Scope — implements
- OAR 340-011-0320: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Scope — authority
- OAR 340-011-0330: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Requests for Review or to Obtain Copies of Public Records — authority
- OAR 340-011-0340: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Costs for Record Review and Copying — authority
- OAR 340-011-0360: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Collecting Fees — authority
- OAR 340-011-0370: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Certification of Copies of Records — authority
- OAR 340-011-0380: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Fee Waivers and Reductions — authority
- OAR 340-011-0390: Public Records Access and Reproduction: Exempt Records — authority
- OAR 340-100-0005: Public Availability of Information — implements
- OAR 340-214-0130: Reporting: Information Exempt from Disclosure — implements
- OAR 409-021-0005: Introduction — implements
- OAR 409-021-0010: Definitions — implements
- OAR 409-021-0115: Calculation of Fees — implements
- OAR 409-021-0120: Inspection of Health Data — implements
- OAR 409-021-0130: Requests to Obtain Copies of Public Use Health Data Files — implements
- OAR 409-021-0140: Requests and Requirements to Obtain Restricted Health Data Sets — implements
- OAR 409-021-0150: Denial of Requests to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Health Data — implements
- OAR 410-120-1980: Requests for Information and Public Records — implements
- OAR 410-133-0340: Client Rights and Record Confidentiality — implements
- OAR 413-010-0068: Disclosure of Information Exempt Under the Public Records Law — implements
- OAR 414-002-0000: Definitions — implements
- OAR 414-002-0000: Definitions — authority
- OAR 414-002-0001: Fees for Inspection or Copies of Public Records and Department Publications; Other Services — implements
- OAR 440-005-0001: Authority for Rules — implements
- OAR 440-005-0005: Applicability of Rule — implements
- OAR 459-060-0001: Definitions — implements
- OAR 459-060-0010: Requests and Fees for Public Records — implements
- OAR 459-060-0020: Confidentiality of Member Records — implements
- OAR 459-060-0030: Disclosure of Records Without Consent — implements
- OAR 459-060-0050: Request for Benefit Estimate — implements
- OAR 581-021-0280: Fees for Copies of Education Records — authority
- OAR 585-001-0007: Definitions — implements
- OAR 585-001-0008: Request to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 585-001-0008: Request to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Public Records — authority
- OAR 629-010-0200: Public Records — Charges for Copying and Purchasing Public Records — implements
- OAR 690-003-0100: Purpose — implements
- OAR 695-003-0010: Purpose — implements
- OAR 695-003-0020: Requests to Inspect or Obtain Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 695-003-0030: Fees for Inspections or Copies of Public Records — implements
- OAR 695-003-0040: Exception to Fee Charge; Fee Waivers and Reductions — implements
- OAR 733-001-0025: Public Records Request Requirements and Fees — implements
- OAR 736-001-0030: Fees for Public Records — authority
- OAR 806-010-0106: Public Record Requests — authority
- OAR 856-010-0007: Fee For Copies — implements
- OAR 860-001-0040: Commission Publications — implements
- OAR 860-001-0060: Public Records Requests — implements
- OAR 860-001-0070: Confidential Information — implements
This rule cites
- ORS 192.401 — resolved
- 192.411 — resolved
- 192.415 — resolved
- 192.422 — resolved
- 192.427 — resolved
- ORS 192.411 — resolved
Cited by
- UTCR 2.100: PROTECTED PERSONAL INFORMATION, NOT CONTACT
- ORS 192.329: Public body’s response to public records request.
- ORS 192.407: When petition for review of public records request allowed; order granting petition; penalty.
- ORS 420.048: Notice required when adjudicated youth transfers to new school or school district.
- ORS 646.473: Conflicting tort, restitution or other law providing civil remedies; exclusions for certain other remedies; limited immunity for public bodies and officers, employees and agents.
- OAR 309-040-0410: Residents’ Bill of Rights, Complaints, and Grievances
- OAR 333-501-0010: Investigations
- OAR 413-010-0045: Mandatory Disclosure
- OAR 440-150-0001: Quarantine Time Loss Program
- OAR 459-060-0010: Requests and Fees for Public Records
- OAR 459-060-0030: Disclosure of Records Without Consent
- OAR 459-060-0210: Confidentiality and Inadmissibility of Workplace Interpersonal Dispute Mediation Communications
- OAR 604-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 605-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 607-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 611-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 617-050-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 623-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 642-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 644-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 645-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 646-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 647-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 648-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 656-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 657-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 658-050-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 664-030-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 668-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 669-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 670-040-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 678-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
- OAR 972-020-0030: Commission Procedure for Responses to Public Records Requests
Official source: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors192.html