Oklahoma § 51-24A.17 - Violations - Penalties - Civil liability

§ 51-24A.17. Violations - Penalties - Civil liability

A. Any public official who willfully violates any provision of

the Oklahoma Open Records Act, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a

misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Five

Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or by imprisonment in the county jail for

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 51. Officers

a period not exceeding one (1) year, or by both such fine and

imprisonment.

B. Any person who requests and is denied access to records of a

public body or public official:

1. May bring a civil suit for declarative or injunctive relief,

or both, but such civil suit shall be limited to records requested

and denied prior to filing of the civil suit; and

2. If successful, shall be entitled to reasonable attorney

fees.

C. Prior to bringing a civil suit under subsection B of this

section, any person seeking declaratory or injunctive relief, or

both, must notify the public body or public official of his or her

intent to bring a civil suit to obtain relief in writing ten (10)

business days prior to filing for such relief. Such notice must

also be provided to the Attorney General.

D. If the public body or public official successfully defends a

civil suit and the court finds that the suit was clearly frivolous,

the public body or public official shall be entitled to reasonable

attorney fees.

E. A public body or public official shall not be civilly liable

for damages for providing access to records as allowed under the

Oklahoma Open Records Act.

Added by Laws 1985, c. 355, § 17, eff. Nov. 1, 1985. Amended by

Laws 2005, c. 199, § 7, eff. Nov. 1, 2005; Laws 2024, c. 116, § 3,

eff. Nov. 1, 2024.