Palmer v. Oklahoma City

Case Number: cv-2026-130

Court: Oklahoma County District Court

Clients: Jennifer Palmer, Oklahoma Watch

Background: In February 2025, Oklahoma Watch reporter Jennifer Palmer submitted a public records request seeking access to an Oklahoma City Police Department report about an incident in which police responded to a confrontation between a vigilante group and a public school teacher the group had accused of having an online conversation with someone posing as a minor. 

A police department official denied the request the next day, stating, “At this time there is not a report under the Open Records Act that I can release to you.” Palmer sent several follow-up requests, including one noting that the public records law requires law enforcement agencies to release incident reports to the public, even if the incident did not result in an arrest, charges, or a warrant. The police continued to refuse to turn over any information.

Palmer appealed to the Oklahoma Public Access Counselor, which reviews cases in which public records requests were denied. The counselor sided with the police department, issuing a written advisement that misinterpreted the language of the public records law.

On behalf of Palmer and Oklahoma Watch, Leslie Briggs, the Oklahoma Local Legal Initiative attorney for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, filed this lawsuit against the OKCPD. The lawsuit alleges that the police department violated the ORA, arguing that the legislative history of the law demonstrates a clear intent to require the public release of all incident reports. 

Related: Read Palmer’s in-depth reporting on her fight to access police incident reports.

Filings:

2026-01-15: Petition for relief from violations of the Open Records Act