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Mediation

General Questions. If you have a question about the MPIA process, or Ombudsman mediation process please send your question to pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us. Please put the words “General Question” in the subject of the email. Also for your information, please see the Ombudsman’s Tip Sheets for Making MPIA Requests and participating in a Successful Mediation.

Download documents you may need to participate in the mediation process. For your information, the packets below include Tips for a Successful Mediation, and Tips for Making and Responding to a PIA Request. Also available are items to help you understand the process prior to the beginning of the mediation. Several items require a signature (either electronic or actual), while others are informational. To engage the mediation process you will be asked to review these materials and return the items that require a signature so that the process may begin.

FOR REQUESTORS

Agency has Responded to PIA Request, and I Still Need Mediation

  1. If you have submitted a PIA request,
  2. The Agency has responded, and
  3. You disagree with the response and request mediation of the issue.

You can seek mediation assistance from the Ombudsman at pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us. Please use the subject “PIA-Mediation Request” in your email. Please send your request for mediation with a copy of your original request to the agency and any correspondence you have had with the agency.

MIA – No Response to Your PIA Request

  1. If you have submitted a PIA request,
  2. 30 days have passed, and
  3. there has been no response from the agency.

You can seek mediation assistance from the Ombudsman at pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us. Please use the subject “MIA Request: PIA-Mediation” in your email. Please send your request for mediation with a copy of your original request to the agency and any correspondence you have had with the agency.

 

FOR AGENCIES – Mediation of PIA Requests

  1. If you have received an ambiguous/problematic request; and/or
  2. Anticipate difficulty responding fully or within the PIA time limit; and
  3. You request the Ombudsman’s assistance in resolving or clarifying your issue or question.

You can seek mediation assistance from the Ombudsman at pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us. Please use the subject “Agency PIA-Mediation Request” in your email. Please send your request for mediation with a copy of the requestor’s original letter and any correspondence you have had with the requestor regarding the request.

Make a PIA Request to the Ombudsman

Janice Clark is the PIA Custodian for the Office of the Public Access Ombudsman. PIA requests can be sent to pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us or in the mail to Janice Clark, Administrative Officer, Public Access Ombudsman, c/o Office of the Attorney General, 200 St. Paul Place., Baltimore, MD 21202. Please include “PIA Request” in the subject line of your correspondence.

List of readily available documents from the Ombudsman’s Office

Comments or Suggestions

We want your feedback. The Office of the Public Access Ombudsman is just over a year old, opening its doors on March 30, 2016.  The Ombudsman provides mediation assistance to help resolve disputes between requesters and records custodians under the Public Information Act.  In order to improve this program, we welcome your suggestions/comments/criticism on any PIA-related topic including the operation of this program. Thank you for helping us to improve the MPIA Ombudsman program. Please send an email to pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us or fill out the form below:

Is it okay for the Ombudsman’s office to contact you regarding your comment?

Training or Presentation Request

If you would like to request a training/presentation for your group or agency on the Public Information Act or the Ombudsman program, please send an email to pia.ombuds@oag.state.md.us or fill out the form below: