This office recognizes the legal and non-legal consequences of failure to properly respond to a public records request. In addition to the distrust in government that failure to comply may cause, this office’s failure to comply with a request may result in the requester commencing a mandamus action against this office in either the court of common pleas, in the court of appeals, or in the Supreme Court of Ohio. The court may order this office to comply with the Public Records Act, as well as order this office to pay statutory damages of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each business day (beginning with the day the requester files the mandamus action) during which this public office failed to comply (up to a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000)) as well as court costs and the requester’s reasonable attorney fees.
(Ord. 27-07. Passed 12-3-07.)