Right to Know Requests for the District Attorney
Northampton County District Attorney’s Office Open Records
The Pennsylvania Right to Know Law (“RTK Law”) provides that only requests for information about law enforcement matters should be directed to the District Attorney’s Office. The RTK Law and the relevant fee schedule may be found at the website for Pennsylvania’s Office of Open Records: http://openrecords.state.pa.us
Public Records Request Procedure
Requests for records must be in writing. Verbal or anonymous requests will not be accepted. Requests should be sufficiently specific so as to allow the District Attorney’s Office and the Open Records Officer to identify what information is being sought. Requests must also include the name and address to which the District Attorney’s Office and Open Records Officer should respond.
Requests may be submitted Online by clicking here OR (1) by email to daopenrecords@northamptoncounty.org (2) by fax to 610-559-3035, or (3) by mail to Assistant District Attorney Catherine Kollet, 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042.
The Open Records Officer has five (5) business days after the request is received to respond. If a response is not sent within that time period, the request shall be deemed denied.
If the request for records is denied because the information requested falls under one of the exceptions set forth under the RTK Law, the requester will be notified of that denial in writing.
If the request is granted, a photocopying fee will be assessed in the amount of 25 cents per page. All other fees will be assessed as governed by the following Fee Structure contained within the RTK Law: https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/RTKL/FeeStructure.cfm
Appellate Procedure
A denial of a request for information about law enforcement matters, including a denial by any police department or law enforcement agency within Northampton County, may be appealed with fifteen (15) days of the denial. The appeal must be in writing and include the requester’s full name, address, and telephone number. The appeal must state the specific grounds at to why the record requested is a “public record.”
The appeal must be forwarded to: Assistant District Attorney Catherine Kollet, 669 Washington Street, Easton, PA 18042. A copy of the appeal must be submitted to the agency that denied the request. The Appeals Officer may hold hearings and/or require both sides to submit documentation in support of their positions.
The Appeals Officer will issue a final determination on behalf of the Office of the District Attorney, including a written explanation for the reason for that decision, within thirty (30) days of the receipt of the appeal. If the Appeals Officer does not issue a final determination within 30 days, the appeal is deemed denied. This determination shall be a final order and may be appealed by either side to the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas within thirty (30) days.