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August 28, 2015

Public workers' texts are public records

SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that a public employee's work-related text messages sent and received on a private cell phone are public records.

The ruling Thursday came in a case filed by a Pierce County Sheriff's detective who asked for Prosecutor Mark Lindquist's call and text records. The requests included texts on his private cell phone. Lindquist gave the county a list of calls and text messages and the county gave partially redacted copies to the detective.

Lindquist admitted that some of the calls and texts were work-related.

The detective sued, arguing the records that related to work should be made public. The trial judge sided with the county, saying private cell phone records are not public records.

The Supreme Court disagreed and ordered Lindquist to produce those records to the county.




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