Your Right to Know: Guides help public navigate openness laws

You ask for a record from your local government, you get it. You want to attend a meeting of a public body, you can walk right in. Much of the time, it’s that simple. Wisconsin’s open records law entitles citizens to most records regarding the affairs of government, and its open meetings law creates a default presumption that all governmental meetings are open. But what happens when things get complicated? Say your request for records is denied or delayed, or you are asked to pay exorbitant fees. What if you arrive at the meeting only to be told the discussion on the topic you’re interested in is closed?