Owen County is committed to transparency and providing access to public records in accordance with the Indiana Access to Public Records Act (APRA). Please note that each department may have specific policies for submitting requests.
How to Request a Public Record
Requests for public records must be submitted in writing to the appropriate department. You may download the request form below and deliver it manually.
Important: To request public records or accident reports from the Owen County Sheriff’s Office, you must visit the Security Center in person at 291 Vandalia Avenue, Spencer, IN 47460. Requests must be submitted in writing and accompanied by all applicable fees. Online submissions will not be accepted for Sheriff’s Office records.
All completed forms must be delivered to the specific Owen County government commission, council, board, department, or office from which the records are being requested.
Guidelines for Your Request
To ensure your request is processed efficiently, please follow these guidelines:
- Be Specific: Your request must identify the records you are seeking with “reasonable particularity”.
- Provide Details: Include relevant information such as names, addresses, and date ranges that will help our staff locate the requested records. A request must be for a specific record or document; requests that simply pose a question will be denied.
- Existing Records Only: Public agencies are only required to disclose existing records. An agency is not required to create a new record in response to a request.
What to Expect After You Submit
The Access to Public Records Act (APRA) specifies how agencies must respond to requests.
- Acknowledgement: The agency will first acknowledge receipt of your request. Please note this initial response does not mean the records are immediately available.
- Fulfillment: If the records are disclosable, they will be produced for inspection or copying within a “reasonable time” after the request is received.
Fees for Public Records
- Inspection: There is no fee to inspect public records.
- Copies: Public agencies may charge fees for providing copies of records, including scanning records to an electronic format, and for any postage costs.
- Advance Payment: Owen County requires payment for all fees in advance of providing the copies.
The fee schedule is pursuant to Indiana Code § 5-14-3-8. Please contact the department from which you are requesting records for the current fee schedule.