Discusses changes and developments in North Carolina public records law from 1999 through 2003, as well as important cases decided in other jurisdictions during that period. Material is based on decisions of the North Carolina Supreme Court or North Carolina Court of Appeals involving public records issues; acts of the 1999-2003 sessions of the General Assembly affecting public records issues; published opinions of the attorney general that were not included in the original book; and decisions of the appellate courts of other jurisdictions, when those decisions seem paricularly relevant to continuing issues under North Carolinas public records statutes.

This book reviews and explains the principal public records statutes applicable to records held by North Carolina local governments and examines the public's right of access to those records. It expands the coverage of the first edition and its cumulative supplement and also includes developments in the law since 2004. Although the book focuses on records held by local governments, state government officials also will find it useful.