Cali Supreme Court rules that elected officials' emails and texts are part of public record [View all]

The public has a right to access emails and text messages about government business on the private phones and accounts of state and local officials and employees, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In a unanimous decision, the court said those communications were subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act and not shielded because they were sent or received in personal accounts.

"If communications sent through personal accounts were categorically excluded from CPRA, government officials could hide their most sensitive, and potentially damning, discussions in such accounts," Associate Justice Carol Corrigan wrote for the seven-member court.

The ruling came in a lawsuit against the city of San Jose. San Jose City Attorney Richard Doyle said he was not surprised by the decision and did not plan to challenge it. But he said it raised practical challenges for cities and counties.

"The question is how do we access those communications on personal devices without the government being overly intrusive," he said. "I don't expect and intend to have people turn over their phones."