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Recent court rulings prompt clearer closure letters and scrutiny of staggered production
Summary
The program reviewed two recent rulings—Cousins v. State and Undivided Media v. City of Seattle—that require agencies to be explicit about closure dates and defend reasons for staggered or delayed production of installments.
Samina Mays warned that recent court decisions have tightened how agencies must document and communicate about public records. She summarized Cousins v. State (Department of Corrections), which reached the Washington Supreme Court and underlined the need for closure letters to clearly state the official closure date and advise requesters of the two‑year window to seek judicial review.
Mays also explained an Undivided Media v. City of Seattle appeals decision that questioned why an agency produced a second installment much later without persuasive reasons; courts scrutinize prioritization and backup coverage. "The courts were like, you do need to be super clear in your letters that this is the date that it's closed and it's official," Mays said, adding that the program updated letter templates accordingly.
