Are Working Papers considered Public Records from creation to destruction?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only after final approval
• D. Only if the final product is destroyed

Answer: (A)

Working papers created in the course of performing official duties are public records. They document the investigation, data collection, analysis, and decisions of the enforcement process, so they are part of the agency’s official records from the moment they are created. Public records laws govern their lifecycle, meaning these papers are kept according to retention schedules and remain accessible through public records requests while they exist. Even if a final product is later destroyed, the working papers themselves are still considered records of the agency and are handled under the same rules, unless a specific exemption applies. This is why the correct answer is that working papers are public records from creation to destruction.