Ireland v. Shearin

We are called upon to decide whether an official custodian of records violates Maryland’s Public Information Act (“PIA”) by directing an applicant to resubmit document requests to the actual custodians within individual departments of the official’s agency. Appellant Robert Lamont Ireland, an inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution (“NBCI”), submitted a request under the PIA to the office of Warden John Rowley. Upon receipt of this request, Rowley directed Ireland to request records from the individual departments rather than the warden himself. Ireland filed a complaint alleging…