On December 5, 2025, the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office issued an opinion to the Ward County Sheriff’s Department regarding a recent public records request. The opinion, labeled 2025-O-20, found that the department violated state law by denying Mr. Brown’s request without redacting confidential or exempt information as required.
According to the opinion, “The Department violated N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18 by denying Mr. Brown’s request without redacting any confidential or exempt records. By exercising proper discretion as to what information is redacted, the Department may meet its obligations under N.D.C.C. § 44-04-18, without defeating the purpose and focus of N.D.C.C. § 12.1-34-02(11) for the protection of victims and witnesses.”
This means that while some information in public records may be protected for privacy reasons—especially relating to victims and witnesses—the agency is still required to release non-exempt portions after making appropriate redactions.
The full text of this opinion can be accessed on the North Dakota Attorney General’s official website.
