Open Government

In North Carolina, government agencies are required by law to allow citizens to examine their records and attend their meetings. Victims and Citizens Services can help both the public and government agencies to understand and apply these public records and open meetings laws.

Public Records

Public Records laws specify:

What kinds of records the public may access
Which government agencies must disclose their records
How public records laws may be enforced if agencies do not allow their records to be examined

For more information, please read Understanding the Public Records Law.

See also the North Carolina Office of Archives and History, Government Records Branch www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/records

Open Meetings

Open Meetings laws specify:

Which State and local public bodies must hold open meetings
What kind of notice public bodies must give before holding meetings
Under what circumstances a public body may enter into a closed session
How citizens may enforce the open meetings law if a public body attempts to exclude them from a meeting or fails to give proper notice.

For more information, please read Understanding the Open Meetings Law.