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Oregon Revised Statutes

Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.314 (2026)

Right to inspect public records; notice to public body attorney

✓ current as of May 2026
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      192.314 Right to inspect public records; notice to public body attorney. (1) Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.338, 192.345 and 192.355.

      (2)(a) If a person who is a party to a civil judicial proceeding to which a public body is a party, or who has filed a notice under ORS 30.275 (5)(a), asks to inspect or to receive a copy of a public record that the person knows relates to the proceeding or notice, the person must submit the request in writing to the custodian and, at the same time, to the attorney for the public body.

      (b) For purposes of this subsection:

      (A) The attorney for a state agency is the Attorney General in Salem.

      (B) “Person” includes a representative or agent of the person. [Formerly 192.420]

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20 cases (16 in the last 5 years), 2018–2026 · leading case: City of Portland v. Bartlett, 509 P.3d 99 (Or. 2022).
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City of Portland v. Bartlett, 509 P.3d 99 (Or. 2022). · cites it 6× “This case requires us to consider the relationship between two statutes that both protect important interests: the public records law, which provides that “[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly…”
City of Portland v. Bartlett, 468 P.3d 980 (Or. Ct. App. 2020). · cites it 5× “As noted above, ORS 192.314 requires disclosure of public records except as otherwise expressly provided.”
Meyer v. State, 426 P.3d 89 (Or. Ct. App. 2018). “A "public record" is "any writing that contains information relating to the conduct of the public's business * * * prepared, owned, used or retained by a public body regardless of physical form or characteristics.”
Chaimov v. Dept. of Admin. Servs., 520 P.3d 406 (Or. 2022). “The general principle—which generally favors disclosure—is set out in ORS 192.314(1): “Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS * * * 192.”
Merrick v. City of Portland, 496 P.3d 1085 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “” ORS 192.314(1). Where a public body does assert that an exemption applies, the public body bears the burden of jus- tifying that exemption, and there is a strong presumption in favor of disclosure.”
Bialostosky v. Cummings, 511 P.3d 31 (Or. Ct. App. 2022). “That court has stated that the legislative policy concerning public records, expressed in ORS 192.314, makes clear that disclosure “is the general rule to which expressly provided exemptions are the exceptions.”
Monson v. State of Oregon (D. Or. 2024). · cites it 5× “ORS 192.314 establishes that “[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.”
Pamplin Media Grp. v. City of Salem, 429 P.3d 1019 (Or. Ct. App. 2018). “That public policy is codified in ORS 192.314(1), which provides that "[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.”
City of Portland v. Kessler, 556 P.3d 648 (Or. Ct. App. 2024). “* * * “Oregon courts have paraphrased this rule of construc- tion of the Public Records Law to note that disclosure is the rule.”
Peta v. Ohsu, 346 Or. App. 38 (Or. Ct. App. 2025). “Compare ORS 192.314(1) (stating that, under the OPRL, “[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as other- wise” provided by statute), with ORCP 36 B(1) (permitting discovery of “any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to…”
Oregon Pub. Broad. v. Dept. of Corr., 350 Or. App. 590 (Or. Ct. App. 2026). “Roberts, 297 Or 590, 594 , 687 P2d 779 (1984); see ORS 192.314(1) (“Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.”
Monpas v. Multnomah Cnty. (D. Or. 2024). · cites it 2× “See Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.314 (1)(“Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state” except in circumstances not at issue here).”
Show all 20 citing cases →
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.314(1) — 13 cases
Meyer v. State, 426 P.3d 89 (Or. Ct. App. 2018). “A "public record" is "any writing that contains information relating to the conduct of the public's business * * * prepared, owned, used or retained by a public body regardless of physical form or characteristics.”
City of Portland v. Bartlett, 509 P.3d 99 (Or. 2022). “This case requires us to consider the relationship between two statutes that both protect important interests: the public records law, which provides that “[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly…”
Chaimov v. Dept. of Admin. Servs., 520 P.3d 406 (Or. 2022). “The general principle—which generally favors disclosure—is set out in ORS 192.314(1): “Every person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS * * * 192.”
Merrick v. City of Portland, 496 P.3d 1085 (Or. Ct. App. 2021). “” ORS 192.314(1). Where a public body does assert that an exemption applies, the public body bears the burden of jus- tifying that exemption, and there is a strong presumption in favor of disclosure.”
Pamplin Media Grp. v. City of Salem, 429 P.3d 1019 (Or. Ct. App. 2018). “That public policy is codified in ORS 192.314(1), which provides that "[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.”
— Or. Rev. Stat. § 192.314(2) — 1 case
Monson v. State of Oregon (D. Or. 2024). “ORS 192.314 establishes that “[e]very person has a right to inspect any public record of a public body in this state, except as otherwise expressly provided by ORS 192.”
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