84-712 Public records; free examination; memorandum and abstracts; copies; fees.
84-712. Public records; free examination; memorandum and abstracts; copies; fees.(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute, all citizens of this state, and all other persons interested in the examination of the public records, as defined in section 84-712.01, are hereby fully empowered and authorized to (a) examine the same, and make memoranda, copies using their own copying or photocopying equipment in accordance with subsection (2) of this section, and abstracts therefrom, all free of charge, during the hours the respective offices may be kept open for the ordinary transaction of business and (b) except if federal copyright law otherwise provides, obtain copies of public records in accordance with subsection (3) of this section during the hours the respective offices may be kept open for the ordinary transaction of business.(2) Copies made by citizens or other persons using their own copying or photocopying equipment pursuant to subdivision (1)(a) of this section shall be made on the premises of the custodian of the public record or at a location mutually agreed to by the requester and the custodian.(3)(a) Copies may be obtained pursuant to subdivision (1)(b) of this section only if the custodian has copying equipment reasonably available. Such copies may be obtained in any form designated by the requester in which the public record is maintained or produced, including, but not limited to, printouts, electronic data, discs, tapes, and photocopies.(b) Except as otherwise provided by statute, the custodian of a public record may charge a fee for providing copies of such public record pursuant to subdivision (1)(b) of this section, which fee shall not exceed the actual cost of making the copies available. For purposes of this subdivision, (i) for photocopies, the actual cost of making the copies available shall not exceed the amount of the reasonably calculated actual cost of the photocopies, (ii) for printouts of computerized data on paper, the actual cost of making the copies available shall include the reasonably calculated actual cost of computer run time and the cost of materials for making the copy, and (iii) for electronic data, the actual cost of making the copies available shall include the reasonably calculated actual cost of the computer run time, any necessary analysis and programming, and the production of the report in the form furnished to the requester. State agencies which provide electronic access to public records through a gateway service shall obtain approval of their proposed reasonable fees for such records pursuant to sections 84-1205.02 and 84-1205.03, if applicable, and the actual cost of making the copies available may include the approved fee for the gateway service.(c) This section shall not be construed to require a public body or custodian of a public record to produce or generate any public record in a new or different form or format modified from that of the original public record.(d) If copies requested in accordance with subdivision (1)(b) of this section are estimated by the custodian of such public records to cost more than fifty dollars, the custodian may require the requester to furnish a deposit prior to fulfilling such request.(4) Upon receipt of a written request for access to or copies of a public record, the custodian of such record shall provide to the requester as soon as is practicable and without delay, but not more than four business days after actual receipt of the request, either (a) access to or, if copying equipment is reasonably available, copies of the public record, (b) if there is a legal basis for denial of access or copies, a written denial of the request together with the information specified in section 84-712.04, or (c) if the entire request cannot with reasonable good faith efforts be fulfilled within four business days after actual receipt of the request due to the significant difficulty or the extensiveness of the request, a written explanation, including the earliest practicable date for fulfilling the request, an estimate of the expected cost of any copies, and an opportunity for the requester to modify or prioritize the items within the request. SourceR.S.1866, c. 44, § 1, p. 297; R.S.1913, § 5595; C.S.1922, § 4902; Laws 1925, c. 146, § 1, p. 381; Laws 1927, c. 193, § 1, p. 551; C.S.1929, § 84-712; R.S.1943, § 84-712; Laws 1961, c. 454, § 3, p. 1383; Laws 1979, LB 86, § 1; Laws 2000, LB 628, § 1. AnnotationsDockets of justice containing entry of judgments are public records. State ex rel. Newby v. Ellsworth, 61 Neb. 444, 85 N.W. 439 (1901).Party was not entitled to inspection of certified copy of court reporter's record before same is offered in evidence. Spielman v. Flynn, 19 Neb. 342, 27 N.W. 224 (1886).Any person interested may examine records without charge, and fee book of clerk of court is public record. State ex rel. Griggs v. Meeker, 19 Neb. 106, 26 N.W. 620 (1886).Numerical indexes of instruments concerning title to real estate kept by county clerk are public records. State ex rel. Miller v. Sovereign, 17 Neb. 173, 22 N.W. 353 (1885).