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Vermont

What is the law?

Binding, on-point law (about)

None

Advisory sources (about)

None

Public records law (about)

Vermont has had a common law right of access to public records since at least 1906. See Clement v. Graham, 78 Vt. 290, 63 A. 146 (1906). The Vermont Right to Know Law invokes the open government policies expressed in Chapter I, Article 6 of the Vermont Constitution, and may be found at Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 1, § 315.

Does the public records law restrict the use of disclosed records?

The purpose of a records request is irrelevant to whether the request may be granted, even if the purpose is for commercial solicitation. Finberg v. Murnane, 159 Vt. 431, 437, 623 A.2d 979, 983 (1992).

Specifics and examples (about)

Status Applies to... Based on?
Copyrightable by statute "The legislative council, on behalf of the state of Vermont, shall hold the copyright to the Vermont Statutes Annotated." Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 2, § 421
Available "at a reasonable charge... to any person" "Digital format orthophotographic imagery" created by the Vermont Center for Geographic Information [1] Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 32, § 3409

Additional things to consider (about)

The Vermont code refers to government documents as "property of the state" in one instance. Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 146 ("documents and volumes published or provided by the state… shall remain the property of the state"). Vermont law also prohibits the unauthorized removal of records. Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 1, § 317A.

Where else to go

Bibliography

Cases

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