A. Pierce County is a political subdivision of the State of Washington and an agency subject to the act. The officers, departments, bureaus, boards, committees, commissions, elected officials, and other agencies of the County are also agencies subject to the act, and any person wishing to request access to public records of Pierce County, any agency of Pierce County, or seeking assistance in making such a request shall contact the public records officer of the applicable agency. Records at the judiciary and court files may not be subject to the Public Records Act or to this Ordinance, at least to the extent set forth in Nast v. Michels, 107 Wn.2d 300 (1986) and Spokane & Eastern Lawyer v. Tompkins, 136 Wn.App. 616 (2007), and disclosure of such records may be subject to the common law and to applicable court rules and orders. These rules, therefore, do not address access to court records.

B. Requests to inspect or obtain copies of public records shall be addressed to the public records officer designated for each County agency. A list containing the contact information for designated County public records officers is available on Pierce County's website at the following internet address: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/2709/Public-Records-Officers-and-Forms.

C. Copies of that list, which contains the name, address, telephone number, and fax number of each agency public records officer, is available upon request from the public records officer for the County designated by the Pierce County Executive to be known as the Pierce County Public Records Ombudsperson. Contact information for the Pierce County Public Records Ombudsperson is available on the County's website at: https://www.piercecountywa.gov/2709/Public-Records-Officers-and-Forms.

D. The applicable public records officer will oversee compliance with the act but another agency staff member may process the request. Therefore, these rules will refer to the public records officer "or designee." The public records officer or designee will provide the "fullest assistance" to requesters; ensure that public records are protected from damage or disorganization; and prevent fulfillment of public records requests from causing excessive interference with essential functions of Pierce County or its agencies.