Have you ever had trouble accessing public information?

Sometimes, the government clerk working the counter errs on the side of keeping public records from the public. You know you should be able to see that court case or that police report or that property transaction or whatever item it is, yet that person is denying you access, often because he or she has had a lack of training on open-records — or worse, faulty training.

It can be frustrating because you, the tax-paying citizen, have paid for the cost of producing the document, from the paper and toner to the expertise of government officials. You’ve even paid the paycheck of the person telling you no.

There is a group you can turn to. It is called the Minnesota Coalition on Government Information. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to public access to government information.

You don’t have to be a trained journalist to get information. Every citizen has the right to open records.

Here are basic tips:

First, simply ask for what you seek.

If denied, provide a written request that mentions the request is made under the Freedom of Information Act and state open records laws. This begins a legal paper trail.

Be persistent while being polite. If you’ve read the state open records laws, don’t be afraid to explain to the clerk what the law really says. For instance, if the clerk asks you why you want the document, you can remind the clerk the law does not require you to answer qualifiers.

The coalition maintains a Web site and a blog at www.mncogi.org. It can be reached at (612) 781-4234.

The state has an office to assist citizens with open records. It is the Information Policy Analysis Division of the Minnesota Department of Administration. Its phone numbers are (651) 296-6733 and (800) 657-3721.