ATTORNEY GENERAL
Under provisions set out in the Texas Constitution, the Texas Government Code, 
Title 4, sec.402.042 and numerous statutes, the attorney general is authorized 
to write advisory opinions for state and local officials. These advisory 
opinions are requested by agencies or officials when they are confronted with 
unique or unusually difficult legal questions. The attorney general also 
determines, under authority of the Texas Open Records Act, whether information 
requested for release from governmental agencies may be held from public 
disclosure. Requests for opinions, opinions, and open record decisions are 
summarized for publication in the Texas Register. The Attorney General responds 
to many requests for opinions and open records decisions with letter opinions. A 
letter opinion has the same force and effect as a formal Attorney General 
Opinion, and represents the opinion of the Attorney General unless and until it 
is modified or overruled by a subsequent letter opinion, a formal Attorney 
General Opinion, or a decision of a court of record. To request copies of 
opinions, phone (512) 462-0011. To inquire about pending requests for opinions, 
phone (512) 463-2110.

Open Records Requests
ORQ-12 (ID-40285).
Requested by Rebecca Forkner, Executive Director, Texas State Board of Examiners 
of Psychologists, 333 Guadalupe, Suite 2-450, Austin, Texas 78701, concerning 
whether a psychologist who receives a supoena for a patients mental health 
records is required to release the records under sec.611.006(11) of the Health 
and Safety Code and related questions.
ORQ-13 (ID-39829).
Requested by John Vance, Dallas County District Attorney, Frank Crowley Courts 
Building, LB 19, Dallas, Texas 75207-4399, concerning whether a criminal justice 
agency may release criminal history record information to a criminal court judge 
or a criminal defense attorney under the Government Code, Chapter 411, 
Subchapter F, and related questions.
TRD-9606444