ORLANDO, Fla. — Sunshine Week is a nationwide initiative aimed at shining a light on the importance of open government, as well as educating citizens of the duties and responsibilities of government agencies.
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In recognition of Sunshine Week, from March 10-16, Orange County Clerk Tiffany Moore Russell wants to remind residents of Florida’s commitment to open government and let people know that your local clerks of court play an important role in preparing documents for the public.
“Sunshine Week is an event we look forward to at the Clerk’s Office,” said Clerk Tiffany Moore Russell. “It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our ability to manage court records efficiently and provide access to public information. It is also a chance for us to educate the public on the resources we offer that allows them to exercise their ‘right to know’ easily and conveniently.”
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Clerks work daily redacting documents, ensuring that public records, including court and official records, are made accessible to the public as quickly and efficiently as possible while protecting confidential information.
According to a news release, the Orange County Clerk of Courts Office maintains more than 67 million digital court documents for the 9th Judicial Circuit Court.
While Sunshine Week is only once a year, The annual event “reinforces the right of citizens to inspect or request copies of court records or public information,” every day of the year.
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Here are some resources to check out on reviewing and requesting records in Florida and Nationally:
- https://www.myfloridalegal.com/open-government/sunshine-manual
- https://sunshineweek.org/
- https://www.wmfe.org/tags/sunshine-series
- https://www.floridahasarighttoknow.myflorida.com/
- https://www.federalregister.gov/
- https://www.foia.gov/
- https://data.gov/
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