Identify The Records

Process

Build a records Map

Smart Shortcuts

Learn the law & Deadlines

Step 1 — Identify the Records (and Who Holds Them)

Before you write a single word, map the records.

Build a quick “Records Map”

What exists? List the specific record types (emails, chat logs, CAD entries, body-cam, contracts, audit trails, metadata).
Where do they live? Systems/platforms (e.g., Microsoft 365 mail & Teams, SharePoint, ticketing systems, RMS/CAD, vendor portals).
Who touches them? Custodians and roles (project lead, counsel, IT admin, vendor PM, records manager).
When were they created? Date ranges tied to events (meeting dates, contract periods, press releases).
What proves it? Identifiers (case #s, project codes, message IDs, file names, hash values).

Smart shortcuts

Read agendas, RFPs, press releases, and prior disclosures to discover systems & custodians.
Pull retention schedules—they reveal record classes and where they’re stored.
Check agency “Public Reading Rooms” and prior requests to copy exact system names.

Micro-template — Records Map (paste in your tracker)
System • Record Type • Custodian • Date Range • Keywords/IDs • Format (native/PDF) • Retention Code • Notes

Step 2 — Learn the Law & Deadlines (Use the Map + an AI Co-Pilot)

Knowing the statute is the power differential. We don’t just show you the steps—we show you how to work the process.

Start here

Open the Interactive Map → select your state → skim the statute, deadlines, fee rules, referral/appeal process, segregation requirements, and any suspension/catastrophe provisions.
Note: initial response deadline, what pauses the clock (clarifications, referrals), rolling production expectations, redaction standards, and appeal routes (AG/appeals office, judicial).

Then go smarter (not harder) with an AI co-pilot

Download your state’s official handbook/guide (PDF).
Upload it to ChatGPT, Claude, or Mistral and give it a focused role.

Paste-ready prompt

“You are my public-records guide for [State]. Using the attached handbook only, build a 1-page checklist covering: (1) initial deadline (business vs calendar), (2) what pauses/resets the clock, (3) clarification rules, (4) fee estimate and waiver rules, (5) referral/appeal timing (AG or appeals office), (6) segregation/redaction standards, (7) rolling production expectations, (8) remedies for missed deadlines. Then generate email micro-templates for: acknowledgement nudge, clarification reply, fee breakdown request, rolling production, search-methodology request, AG/appeals participation.”

What you’ll get

A tailored deadline calculator and micro-templates you can paste into emails.
A precise list of leverage points (where agencies routinely slip: clarifications, referrals, redaction logs, segregability).

Guardrails

Don’t upload sensitive personal data.
Always verify the AI’s cites against the handbook text and your statute link on the Interactive Map.

Why this beats “wait and see”

You enter the process knowing who has what, where it lives, and what the law requires at each step.
Your requests land narrow, verifiable, and hard to stall, and your follow-ups cite correct deadlines and required procedures—automatically generated from your state handbook.

Process

Step 1 — Identify the Records (and Who Holds Them)

Before you write a single word, map the records.

Build a quick “Records Map”

What exists? List the specific record types (emails, chat logs, CAD entries, body-cam, contracts, audit trails, metadata).
Where do they live? Systems/platforms (e.g., Microsoft 365 mail & Teams, SharePoint, ticketing systems, RMS/CAD, vendor portals).
Who touches them? Custodians and roles (project lead, counsel, IT admin, vendor PM, records manager).
When were they created? Date ranges tied to events (meeting dates, contract periods, press releases).
What proves it? Identifiers (case #s, project codes, message IDs, file names, hash values).

Smart shortcuts

Read agendas, RFPs, press releases, and prior disclosures to discover systems & custodians.
Pull retention schedules—they reveal record classes and where they’re stored.
Check agency “Public Reading Rooms” and prior requests to copy exact system names.

Open the Interactive Map → select your state → skim the statute, deadlines, fee rules, referral/appeal process, segregation requirements, and any suspension/catastrophe provisions.
Note: initial response deadline, what pauses the clock (clarifications, referrals), rolling production expectations, redaction standards, and appeal routes (AG/appeals office, judicial).

Then go smarter (not harder) with an AI co-pilot

Download your state’s official handbook/guide (PDF).
Upload it to ChatGPT, Claude, or Mistral and give it a focused role.

Paste-ready prompt
“You are my public-records guide for [State]. Using the attached handbook only, build a 1-page checklist covering: (1) initial deadline (business vs calendar), (2) what pauses/resets the clock, (3) clarification rules, (4) fee estimate and waiver rules, (5) referral/appeal timing (AG or appeals office), (6) segregation/redaction standards, (7) rolling production expectations, (8) remedies for missed deadlines. Then generate email micro-templates for: acknowledgement nudge, clarification reply, fee breakdown request, rolling production, search-methodology request, AG/appeals participation.”

What you’ll get
A tailored deadline calculator and micro-templates you can paste into emails.
A precise list of leverage points (where agencies routinely slip: clarifications, referrals, redaction logs, segregability).
Guardrails
Don’t upload sensitive personal data.
Always verify the AI’s cites against the handbook text and your statute link on the Interactive Map.
Why this beats “wait and see”
You enter the process knowing who has what, where it lives, and what the law requires at each step.
Your requests land narrow, verifiable, and hard to stall, and your follow-ups cite correct deadlines and required procedures—automatically generated from your state handbook.

What is Transparency?

Transparency means any citizen can ask their government what it did, why it did it, and who decided—and receive the records to prove it. It’s democracy’s feedback loop. Elections are the promise; public records are the proof.
When rules change in the dark—when body‑camera footage is withheld, contracts are hidden, or prosecutors never have to answer for how they wield power—trust collapses. Transparency restores the conversation.
Why It Matters
Power, money, and influence tend to drift toward secrecy. Without sunlight, even good institutions decay. The fights over public records are rarely about paper; they’re about accountability.
We pursue transparency lawfully, carefully, and methodically. Where sensational leaks kick doors, we use the statutes written for you—FOIA, state open‑records laws, the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA), and more—to open them.

Why it Matters

Why It Matters
Power, money, and influence tend to drift toward secrecy. Without sunlight, even good institutions decay. The fights over public records are rarely about paper; they’re about accountability.
We pursue transparency lawfully, carefully, and methodically. Where sensational leaks kick doors, we use the statutes written for you—FOIA, state open‑records laws, the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA), and more—to open them.

We don’t ask you to take our word for anything. We publish the records so you can see for yourself.

Legitimate Limits (and Why They're Narrow)

Legitimate Limits (and Why They’re Narrow)
Some records should remain confidential: private medical or juvenile information, home addresses and personal identifiers, and other categories protected by law. Beyond these narrow exceptions, the public’s business belongs to the public.
See what’s open where you live: Interactive Records Map (link)

How We Work (Our 4‑Step Process)

How We Work (Our 4‑Step Process)
IDENTIFY — Target records that advance the public interest. Define the questions the records must answer.
REQUEST — Ask precisely for the records and the metadata (who created them, when, and how). Use our templates and AI helpers to scope, narrow, and iterate.
AUDIT — Compare what was asked vs. what was released. Track deadlines, missing pages, improper redactions, fee games, and exemption misuse.
PLAN — When cooperation fails, escalate: appeals, complaints, litigation, and public pressure. Strategy > struggle.

Learn each step in depth on our AI Tools and Legal Strategy pages. (links)

Field Notes: What We’re Uncovering (Ongoing)

We’re actively investigating prosecutorial transparency in a major Texas jurisdiction. Campaign promises of “reform” are colliding with records that tell a different story. Until related filings are complete, we’re withholding operational details—but the documentation will speak for itself when published. Watch the Blog/Updates for releases.

Bottom line: we use the very process we teach. When we claim misconduct, we do it with documents, not adjectives.

Your Role (Yes, You Can Do This)

Transparency isn’t a spectator sport. You can:

Pick a question. What do you want to know? Example: body‑cam policies, use‑of‑force reviews, prosecutor recusal logs, jail medical contracts.
Check your state’s rules. Use our Interactive Records Map to see deadlines, fees, and exemptions.
File your first request. Start with our smart templates. Ask for records and metadata. Request fee waivers when appropriate.
Track the process. Use our request tracker to log dates, extensions, redactions, and what’s missing. If they stall, we escalate together.
Share the proof. Publish to our document repository or bring it to local media. Sunlight scales when you share it.

Ethics & Safety

We redact private information where required, avoid endangering victims or witnesses, and follow lawful processes at every step. Our standard practice is to request segregable (non‑exempt) portions even when limited exemptions apply.

Free Members

Library (Always Free)
We’re rolling out a members‑only library—free forever. If our templates or guides help you, please consider a donation to keep them free for everyone. (GoFundMe link) You’ll get PDF templates and model letters for each stage of the process (Identify, Request, Audit, Plan), in‑depth step‑by‑step guides, and a complete starter kit to run airtight, lawful transparency campaigns. We’re still building the site—if a download isn’t live yet, check back soon. Need help now? Call (302) 314‑3354. We’re a startup in motion, but never too busy to help anyone who shares our commitment to keeping government honest.

CAll to Action

Library (Always Free)

Support the Work (Donate) — Every dollar turns into documents: $10=request, $50=hosting/redaction, $250=filing or appeal. (Donations coming soon)

Become a Free Member — Access the templates, guides, and starter kit. (Members area link)

Subscribe for Updates — Stay current on releases and case milestones.

Send a Tip (Secure) — Share leads or documents safely. (secure form link)

Volunteer — Lawyers, data folks, designers, writers—there’s a role for you. (contact link)

Transparency Shouldn’t Require a Press Pass

The HOLE Foundation exists to prove it. We shine light where democracy goes dark—and we show you how to do the same.