Thanks Colomom! if you read this before getting a response back....could you find out the price per page or however it's done over there?
Here is the response:
Colomom - I didn't forget about your question concerning the Freedom of Information Act or something similar you asked about earlier.
From a very useful page on the site of Publico, which usually enlightens us about these issues:
http://www.publico.clix.pt/nos/livro_estilo/25-fichas-l.html
(
entirely in Portuguese )
O processo crime é público a partir: a) da decisão instrutória, ou b) se não houver instrução, desde que já não possa ser requerida (cf. Processo penal).
Encontra-se em discussão pública uma alteração do Código do Processo Penal que prevê que o processo crime passa a ser público logo que terminado o inquérito.
A crime process is made public as soon as there is either the instruction of the case (meaning the actual acceptance of the case by the court) or in case there is no instruction taking place, as soon as it cannot be requested anymore.
A change in the Penal Process Code is being discussed that would make the crime process public as soon as the inquiry is finished.
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I also asked about cost and where to request the docs...will let you know.
BTW, Elphaba's link is really good too:
The 1993 Law of Access to Administrative Documents (LADA) allows any person to demand access to administrative documents held by state authorities, public institutions, and local authorities in any form.(2) Requests must be in writing. Government bodies must respond no later than 10 days after receiving a request.
Unfortunately, the link to the "Law of Access to Administrative Documents (LADA)" is broken.
Found this on the CADA:
Pricing and Licensing
The Commission for Access to Administrative Data (CADA) (Comissão de Acesso aos Documentos Administrativos (CADA)
www.cada.pt/ has developed ( 1996), targets for payment for document reproduction, but selling information is at the discretion of each service.
Information is usually sold at the lowest price possible in view of the public service mission of public authorities.
Certain institutions, such as the INE (Isituto Nacional de Estatistica) price according to the quality of the information, the quantity, the connection time, the status of the user (whether a commercial user or the final consumer). In the area of judicial information, Datajuris buys its raw material from the state at the same price as the others (Diairio), and adds value by such means as: complete texts, analysis, commentary, jurisprudence, and so on. Datajuris differentiates in its pricing policy
between large companies, lawyers associations and individual clients.
But hit a wall again...entirely in Portuguese.
Found this too:
Portugal
Law nº 65/93, of 26 August 1993 provides for access to government records in any form by any person.93
Documents can be withheld for internal or external security, secrecy of justice, and personal privacy.
It is overseen by the Commission for Access to Administrative Documents (CADA) an independent
Parliamentary agency.94 The CADA can examine complaints, provide opinions on access, and decide on
classification of systems. CADA issued 177 opinions in 1998.
Let's wait and see what our Portuguese friends come back with...