5 tips for making the most out of Indiana’s public records law
This column was originally published in the Hoosier State Press Association’s March 2026 newsletter.
Every year, journalists, lawmakers, and freedom of information advocates come together to celebrate the importance of an open government and the public’s right to know during Sunshine Week, which takes place this year from March 15–21.
As a member of the Hoosier State Press Association, you’ve probably heard of Indiana’s public access laws. Our state’s Access to Public Records Act is a crucial tool for journalists and the public to promote government transparency and accountability. So ahead of this year’s Sunshine Week, I wanted to share five tips to help you make the most out of APRA.
Get acquainted with APRA.
APRA allows members of the press and public to obtain records of Indiana’s “public agencies.” It’s an extremely useful tool for reporting on how state, county, and local officials and agencies are conducting taxpayer business.
Indiana’s public records law does not apply to federal agencies. So if you’re searching for records about the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or the U.S. Department of Education, for instance, you’ll want to turn to the federal equivalent to APRA: the Freedom of Information Act.
As the Indiana-based attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, I regularly conduct free legal trainings on open government laws for HSPA members across the state. But I recommend you also get acquainted with the Reporters Committee’s free legal guides. Over the years, we have compiled a variety of resources to help journalists overcome legal issues they encounter in the course of their work, which are all available on our website.
The Indiana chapter of our Open Government Guide tells you everything you need to know about APRA and Indiana’s Open Door Law. The Reporters Committee’s FOIA Wiki covers the federal government. Familiarizing yourself with these resources will help you understand the ins and outs of public records laws at the state and federal level, which can make it easier to draft effective requests and push back on denials.
Make requests in writing.
Though APRA allows you to make requests for records orally, I recommend you make them in writing. Doing this creates a paper trail to document what you requested and when. Agencies must respond to a request within seven days of receipt, so it’s important to establish a timeline.
Also, under the law, agencies are required to issue denials of written requests in kind and include a legal justification for doing so. If you want to challenge a denial, it helps to have a factual record of your request.
Be specific.
APRA requires that a request describe with “reasonable particularity the record being requested.” But the term “reasonable particularity” isn’t statutorily defined, so deciding on the bounds of your request can be tricky — especially when it comes to requesting emails.
This phrase has been interpreted to mean that the public agency needs to be able to search for, locate, and retrieve the requested records. So if you request, for example, all emails between any staff member in the Indiana Department of Education and a specific vendor, that’s probably too broad. To narrow the scope of requests for emails, consider including:
- A sender
- A recipient
- A reasonable timeframe for the search
- A specific subject matter or search terms
You don’t have to include all four parameters in a request to meet the “reasonable particularity” standard, but it helps to be as detailed as possible.
Be tenacious.
Following up on public records requests is key for journalists to get the documents they need to do their jobs. APRA gives agencies — if they don’t deny a request — a “reasonable time” to provide the records or allow the requester to make copies, but “reasonable time” isn’t statutorily defined. That means if you let the government ignore your request, chances are good that they will.
If it’s been 30 days since you filed the request, you should ask for a status update.
Know where to go for help.
If you need help with public access issues, I’m ready to provide free legal support. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at kcundiff@rcfp.org if you have legal questions or would like me to conduct a legal training for your newsroom.
Kris Cundiff is the Indiana Local Legal Initiative attorney at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. He lives just outside of Indianapolis.