Public Information Act / Open Records

Public Information requests generally

Public Information requests are governed by Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code.  This chapter describes the procedures that should be followed when a public official receives a public information request.

Generally, Section 552.234 of the Texas Government Code states that a public information request must be written and delivered to the applicable officer of public information, or their designee, by US Mail, electronic mail, hand delivery, or any other method approved by the governmental body.  

Who is the officer of public information for the information I am requesting?

It is important to direct a request for public information to the appropriate public official who is a custodian of the records that are being requested.  An officer is not a custodian simply because they could access the information requested, they must have either created or received the information as part of their duties.

A custodian of records is the appointed or elected public officer who is in charge of an office that creates or receives local government records.  A public information request must be directed to the custodian of the information requested.

Public Information requests directed to the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office

When responding to a Public Information Act request, the goal of the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney's office is to provide the relevant public information as quickly as possible, while at the same time protecting privileged documents from public disclosure that would interfere with the investigation or prosecution of criminal cases.

Section 552.108 of the Texas Government Code contains what is generally referred to as the "law enforcement exception" to the release of certain public records. This exception allows a governmental body to withhold four types of information:

1. Information If Released Would Affect Investigation or Prosecution: Information that is held by a law enforcement agency or prosecutor that, if disclosed, would interfere with the law enforcement agency or prosecutor's ability to detect, investigate or prosecute a crime; or
2. Information About Certain Prosecutions: Information that deals with the prosecution of crimes that did not result in a conviction or a deferred adjudication; or
3. Threats Against Peace Officers: Information that deals with threats against peace officers collected or disseminated under section 411.048 of the Government Code; or
4. Information Prepared by Prosecutors: Information that is prepared by a prosecutor in anticipation of, or in the course of preparing for criminal litigation, or that reflects the mental impressions or legal reasoning of the prosecutor.

How do I submit a Public Information request to the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office?

Erleigh Norville Wiley, as the elected Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney, has designated the attorneys assigned to the Civil Division as her designees to receive and respond to public information requests directed to this office.

To file an open records request with the Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, please submit a written request in one of the following ways:

By email to publicinfo.districtattorney@kaufmancounty.net

By standard mail to the following address:

 Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney's Office

 Attn: Civil Division - Open Records

 PO Box 729

 Kaufman, TX 75142

In person at the following address:

 Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney's Office

 Attn: Civil Division - Open Records

1902 East US HWY 175

 Kaufman, TX 75142

Make sure to include the following information with your written request:

Your contact information, such as a phone number, email address, and/or physical mailing address. (Please include at least one of these so we can contact you about your request if needed.)

A specific description of the information or documents you are requesting. Examples of the descriptions that would be helpful to include are titles of records, dates of records, or case numbers. The more description you can provide, the better. If you are seeking records about a particular person, a date of birth, driver's license number, or other personal identifier would also be helpful.

Download the Public Information Act - Open Records Request Form (PDF)