Public records intake that flags denials, redactions, and deadlines
Every enquiry is scored on whether the agency already denied, delayed, or redacted the records, how recently that happened, and whether the request concerns government spending rather than personal information. Ask for the original request and the agency's written response before you commit a consultation to it.
The exact intake your public records and open government leads complete
This is the real 7-question guided intake for Public Records and Open Government — the same flow your customers finish before you ever pick up the phone.
What a qualified public records and open government lead should tell you
Requests to obtain, correct, or force disclosure of records from a government office under a public records or open government law, typically triggered by a denial, unreasonable delay, or excessive redaction after a formal request was filed.
- Trying Get Records Or
- Already Asked That Government
- Know Which Specific Government
- Denial Or Lack Response
- Seeking Records About Government
- Main Goal Get Records
- Willing Share Copies Request
The questions your team needs answered
Every public records and open government intake asks these — and why each one matters.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Are you trying to get records or information from a U.S. government office (federal, state, county, city, school, police, or similar)? | Confirms the request actually involves a government office rather than a private party, which is the baseline requirement for any public records claim. |
| Have you already asked that government office for the records (in writing, online, email, or a form) and been denied, ignored, delayed, or given heavily blacked-out documents? | Identifies whether there is an actual denial, delay, or redaction on record to challenge, versus someone who hasn't filed a request yet. |
| Do you know which specific government office has the records you want (or can you name the agency you contacted)? | Knowing the specific agency makes it possible to evaluate the claim against that office's disclosure obligations and history. |
| Did the denial or lack of response happen within the last 12 months? | Recency of the denial or non-response affects whether statutory deadlines or limitations periods are still workable. |
| Are you seeking records about government actions or spending (not just private information about someone for personal reasons)? | Distinguishes requests about government conduct or spending, which are the core of open-government practice, from personal information disputes. |
| Is your main goal to get the records released, corrected, or produced faster (rather than only seeking money damages)? | Clarifies whether the requester wants production or correction of records rather than money damages, which shapes the likely remedy and case strategy. |
| Are you willing to share copies of your request and any responses from the government office (emails, letters, portal screenshots)? | Willingness to share the request and agency responses determines whether the merits can actually be reviewed before offering a consultation. |
How Cliont scores public records and open government leads
Every answer is weighted automatically — no manual review required.
Value signals
- Trying Get Records Or: yes
- Already Asked That Government: yes
- Know Which Specific Government: yes
- Denial Or Lack Response: yes
- Seeking Records About Government: yes
- Main Goal Get Records: yes
See the lead your team receives
Public Records Denial Lead
From first click to qualified lead
Follow people and businesses seeking counsel through one smooth, guided flow.
They land & meet you
Your video greeting plays instantly — a real face instead of a blank form.
They explain the matter
Smart questions adapt to their matter and capture the full scope.
They share the documents
The facts, dates, and any paperwork come attached, so you can assess the matter before the consultation.
You get a ready lead
Scored and qualified — waiting for you to win it.
Built for public records and open government workflows
| Cliont capability | Public Records And Open Government application |
|---|---|
| Conditional branching | If the requester was never dealing with a U.S. government office, the intake can flag that early instead of walking them through the full public-records question set. |
| Document upload | Requesters are prompted to upload their original request and the agency's written response, denial letter, or redacted documents before the matter reaches your CRM. |
| Weighted scoring | Leads with a known agency, a documented denial or delay within 12 months, and a records-focused (not damages-focused) goal score highest and route as priority matters. |
| CRM routing | Only leads with an identified agency and evidence of a denial, delay, or redaction are sent to your CRM as qualified public-records matters. |
Common public records and open government lead scenarios
Written denial, known agency, spending records
Requester filed a formal request with a named agency, was denied or heavily redacted within the last year, and wants spending or conduct records released rather than money. This combination scores highest.
Agency went silent, no formal denial yet
The office never responded rather than issuing a written denial, so there is no denial letter to review yet. The intake still captures this as a delay and asks what proof of submission exists.
Personal information dispute, not government conduct
Requester wants records about another private individual rather than government actions or spending, which shifts the matter away from open-government relevance even if the same agency is involved.
Old denial, statute concerns
The denial or non-response happened more than 12 months ago, which the intake flags separately since timing affects whether the claim is still viable to pursue.
Requester unsure which office holds the records
Caller wants records but cannot name the specific agency contacted, so the intake still collects details but flags reduced certainty for routing.
Connect Cliont to your workflow
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Email, SMS, Slack
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Simple, transparent pricing
Choose the plan that works for your business.
Professional
Unlimited intake forms and leads for your growing business.
- Unlimited intake forms
- Custom video greetings
- AI-powered voice bot
- English + Spanish support
- Automatic lead scoring
- Digital estimates & e-signatures
- Photo, video & file upload
- Advanced analytics dashboard
Pay Per Lead
Only pay when you receive a qualified lead.
- Unlimited intake forms
- Custom video greetings
- AI-powered voice bot
- English + Spanish support
- Automatic lead scoring
- Digital estimates & e-signatures
- Photo, video & file upload
- Charged only for submitted leads
More civil rights and constitutional law intake templates
View all civil rights and constitutional law intake templates →
Public Records and Open Government lead-intake FAQs
Why does the intake ask whether the requester already submitted a written request to the agency?
A public records claim generally needs an actual request and response to challenge; the intake uses that answer to separate someone who has a denial, delay, or redaction on record from someone who hasn't asked yet.
What happens if the caller doesn't know which government office has the records?
The intake still captures the details of what they're looking for and any agency they've contacted, but flags the matter as less certain until the specific office is confirmed.
Does the intake separate requests for money damages from requests to get records released?
Yes. It asks whether the goal is getting records produced, corrected, or released faster versus seeking damages, since public records claims typically pursue production rather than a payout.
Does it matter how long ago the denial or non-response happened?
Yes, the intake asks whether the denial or delay occurred within the last 12 months, since older denials can raise separate timing or statute issues worth reviewing before a consultation.
What documents does the intake collect from the requester?
It asks the requester to share copies of their original request and any responses from the agency, including denial letters, redacted documents, or portal confirmations.
Can this intake handle requests that are really about personal information rather than government spending or conduct?
Yes, it still captures those requests but flags them separately since matters about government actions or spending are treated differently than personal information disputes.
Turn public records and open government visitors into qualified cases
Give every public records and open government visitor a guided intake instead of a dead contact form — and get a scored, qualified lead before you book a consultation.