Sample letters

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Standard Right-to-Know Law Request
65 P.S. §§ 67.101–67.3104
Tracking SAMPLE-REQUEST

Submitted to agency: Example Township
Attn (AORO): Agency Open Records Officer
AORO email: openrecords@exampletwp.pa.us
Date: Monday, Jan 6, 2026
Submitted via: Email

Person making the request
Full name: Jordan Rivera
Company: —
Email: jordan.rivera@example.com
Telephone: (717) 555-0148
Mailing address: 100 Market Street, Lancaster, PA 17603
Send response via: Email
Contact for questions: Email

I affirm that my full name and contact information is true and correct, and that I am a legal resident of the United States.

Records requested
Copies of the following records of Example Township, if they exist:

1. Approved minutes of the Board of Supervisors meetings held between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025.

2. The adopted 2026 general-fund budget, including any adopted amendments.

3. Invoices and payment records for legal services dated January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.

I seek copies in electronic form if the records exist in that medium.

Copies: Electronic copies
Certified copies: No
Fee notice: $100

I understand that this request may incur fees under the Official RTKL Fee Schedule. Records shall be provided in the medium requested if they exist in that medium; otherwise in the medium in which they exist. See 65 P.S. §§ 67.701, 67.703.

Respectfully submitted,
Jordan Rivera

A typical Office of Open Records appeal attaches the request and the agency response and states why the records are public. Fifteen business days to appeal under 65 P.S. § 67.1101. Names and exemption arguments are redacted here on purpose.

APPEAL TO THE OFFICE OF OPEN RECORDS
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Re: Denial of Right-to-Know Law request
Agency: Example Township
Requester: J. R. [name redacted in this sample]
Date of request: January 6, 2026
Date of agency response / deemed denial: January 13, 2026
Appeal window: 15 business days under 65 P.S. § 67.1101
OOR docket: [to be assigned]

Why the records are public
The minutes, adopted budget, and legal invoices are records of a local agency. They are presumed public under 65 P.S. §§ 67.102 and 67.305 unless the agency proves a § 67.708 exemption.

Response to the agency's grounds
The agency cited [exemption — redacted]. That exemption does not apply because the records are [reason — redacted]. The agency has not produced evidence supporting a blanket withholding.

Attachments (typical)
— The written request
— The agency response, or a statement that none was received
— Supporting records, if any

File the appeal at https://www.openrecords.pa.gov/Appeals/AppealForm.cfm

This is a redacted sample cover, not a filing and not legal advice. Open Docket is a product of Securing Public Access to Records and Knowledge, LLC.