GAL/ Custody Investigator grievance cases

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to RCW Ch. 42.56 (Public Records Act)and/or WA GR 31.1 , I hereby request the following records:

All grievance cases filed with Cowlitz County Superior Court against all Guardian Ad Litems and/or Custody Investigators including any judicial actions. Please limit your search to the time period 1/01/2015 to present.

For those responsive records that currently exist in electronic format (such as email, Word, or PDF files), please provide those documents in such native format by either forwarding the files to me by email or making those files available for inspection.

For those documents which exist only in paper form or where paper copies of records available in electronic form contain handwritten marks or notes, please provide both the native electronic record and a copy of the paper record for inspection.

"Public record" includes "any writing containing information relating to the conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state, county, or local agency regardless of physical form or characteristics." RCW 42.56.010(2).

'"Writing' means handwriting, typewriting, printing, photostatting, photographing, and every other means of recording any form of communication or representation including, but not limited to, letters, words, pictures, sounds, or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps, magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films and prints, motion picture, film and video recordings, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums, diskettes, sound recordings, and other documents including existing data compilations from which information may be obtained or translated." RCW 42.56.010(3).

This request specifically includes -and you are specifically directed to obtain, preserve in native format, and produce -any records that exist on any computers, hard drives, portable phones, jump drives, BlackBerries, iPhone, Kindle, IPad, or other devices, or in email, data, voice mail, or text mail accounts owned, controlled or paid for, directly or indirectly, by any agency or taxpayer.

For each record that the agency contends is exempt from public disclosure, please specifically identify the record by subject, title, author, custodian and date, and specifically state how the specific statutory exemption applies to the record as required by RCW 42.56.210(3). For each responsive record that you contend is exempt from public disclosure, in whole or in part, please specifically identify the record by subject, title, author, custodian and date, and state how a specific statutory exemption applies to each record as required by RCW 42.56.210(3) and Rental Housing Ass'n v. Des Moines, 165 Wn.2d 525, 199 P.3d 393 (2009).

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Penny Allen

Hello Chad,
Thanks you for your response. To help me prepare to cover the possible costs, is it possible you can provide me with an estimate of the hours you expect the research to take?
Thanks,
Penny

Dear Chad,
Court Rule 7(h) Records of grievances. The court shall maintain a record of grievances filed and of any sanctions issued pursuant to local court grievance procedure.

The original date of my request was December 30, 2017 While I appreciate the scope of my request would take some time, I believe it is unreasonable to delay my request by more than 3 months to locate files that are already maintained according to CR7(h). I am willing to accept the records in installments if that will be helpful- I really need to get this project moving forward and appreciate your help.

Sincerely,
P. Allen

To Whom It May Concern:

Please find enclosed a check for $97.50 to satisfy the fee associated with the attached public records request.

Thank you.

Hello,
Please void/destroy the check. A money order will be sent to you ASAP. Apologies for the confusion.