Open Meetings Records Guide
Essential Guide to Open Meetings and Records
All public entities. This includes state agencies, political subdivisions, private organizations that are supported by public funds or are expending public funds, and contractors - if the contractor is providing services in place of a public entity rather than simply providing services to that entity.
View commonly asked questions about open meetings and notices and open records.
AT-A-GLANCE
Governing bodies can hold a closed negotiation strategy session regarding a lawsuit or contract if holding an open meeting would have an adverse fiscal effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public entity.
You can close a meeting to talk with your attorney if the discussion pertains to the attorney's advice regarding a pending or reasonably predictable lawsuit involving the public entity. It is important to remember that for public entities and their attorneys, communications are not automatically confidential.
Confidentiality clauses in a settlement agreement involving a public entity are against public policy and are declared void by state law.
Public employee job performance reviews and salary discussions are open to the public. Certain personal information in a personnel file such as the employee's home address, telephone number, and medical information can be closed, but not any records regarding salary or job performance.
For more information on Open Records and Open Meetings, please see the Manuals and Guides on the North Dakota Attorney General's website here.