Open Public Records Act (OPRA)

You can place an Open Public Records Act request (OPRA) with the county by emailing the Clerk at opra@ucnj.org or by downloading the form found below. You would simply fill it out and fax it to the Clerk of the Boards office @ fax # 908-558-0915; phone # 908-527-4200.

The county has 7 business days to respond to your request. If you are delayed or denied access to records you can download the Government Records Counsel complaint form, also found below, and submit that to the state @ fax # 609-292-9073; email: grc@dca.state.nj.us; phone: 866-850-0511. Visit www.nj.gov/grc for more information regarding OPRA.

You also have the option of filing a complaint in Superior Court. The court requires a $200 filing fee, and you must serve the lawsuit papers on the appropriate public officials. If you are successful in court you may be entitled to reasonable attorney fees.

You may contact the Union County Watchdog Association for assistance or advise or the New Jersey Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG). Visit www.njfog.org/

By law you may request documents anonymously. However; you will have to pay for them somehow. You can send someone to the clerks office, located on the 6th floor of the County Administration Building in Elizabeth, to pick them up for you.

If you are in the predicament of wanting public information, yet you are not able to reveal yourself to the county machine, the Union County Watchdog Association will consider placing the request for you. Contact us at info@unioncountywatchdog.org or call (908) 709-0530.