The Office of Open Records released its 2025 Annual Report. Here are a few highlights: 

• 3,970 appeals filed with the OOR, making it another record-breaking year for appeals. Of those, 3,213 appeals involved local agencies and 643 involved state agencies. Only 5% of OOR final determinations were appealed. 

• Of the appeals involving local agencies, 22% involved counties, 17% involved townships, 17% involved school districts, 13% involved cities, 12% involved boroughs, and 11% involved police departments. 

• More than half of all appeals, or 64%, were filed by everyday citizens, followed by companies and private organizations (17%), inmates (11%), and the media (7%).  

• In 2025, 34% of appeals involving local agencies were granted, partially granted, or withdrawn by the requester, while 20% were denied. Also, 29% of appeals involving local agencies were dismissed, commonly due to being filed too early or too late or being incomplete.  

• Of appeals involving state agencies, 28% involved the Pennsylvania State Police, 25% involved the Department of Corrections, and 15% involved PennDOT. 

Click here to view the OOR’s 2025 Annual Report.