Kentucky's Attorney General ruled that the Kentucky State Reformatory did not violate the state's Open Records Act when it declined to process a request for inmate "jail credits" as a formal records request, though the facility voluntarily provided the information anyway.

In the decision released April 22, Jennifer Ginter sought information about jail credits for a named inmate, but the Reformatory determined her request did not properly describe specific public records under the Kentucky Open Records Act. The facility nonetheless provided the dates the inmate was credited for time served.

Assistant Attorney General Zachary M. Zimmerer wrote that Kentucky law requires residents to request "identifiable public records" rather than simply asking agencies to answer questions or compile information. "Public agencies are not required to compile information or to answer questions but to provide only specific records responsive to a request," the decision noted.

The Kentucky State Reformatory, located in LaGrange near Oldham County, is a medium-security facility that houses adult males and specializes in providing mental health and medical services. Ginter's appeal raised two additional issues—complaints about the inmate's other records requests and allegations that his jail credit was calculated incorrectly—but the Attorney General ruled those matters fell outside the scope of an Open Records Act appeal.

Ginter has 30 days from the decision date to appeal to circuit court if she wishes to challenge the Attorney General's ruling.