Compass School Target of Complaint about Violating Access to Public Records Law

KINGSTON, RI – Atty. Gen. Peter Kilmartin has filed a lawsuit against the Compass School for violating the state's Access to Public Records Act.

Specifically, the school failed to make a timely response to a request.

"On January 13, 2015, " according to Kilmartin's office, "Mr. Joe Smith made an APRA request to the Compass School seeking six categories of documents. On Jan. 21, 2015, the Compass School acknowledged receipt of the APRA request and indicated that 'the information is being gathered.'"

"Then on Jan. 22, 2015 and again on Feb. 5, 2015, the School provided Mr. Smith with additional documents pursuant to his APRA request, yet did not respond to other aspects of his APRA request and failed to comply with the statute’s deadlines to provide the requested documents," the AG's office said.

The law says the response is supposed to be made in 10 business days, although there are provisions for denying the request and asking for additional time to comply.

Smith filed a complaint with the Attorney General who found in May the school was in violation.

Then today, the AG's office announced it will file a lawsuit after concluding "that the APRA violation was willful and knowing or reckless."“Failure to provide documents in the prescribed time dictated by the statute is a clear violation of the APRA,” said Kilmartin.

The maximum penalty under the APRA is $2,000 for knowing and willful violations and $1,000 for reckless violations.