Maryland state guidelines dictate that records showing municipal actions such as court papers, arrest records, marriage certificates, traffic violations and more are open and available to the public, largely due to the Maryland Public Information Act. All essential details about the many happenings of authorities, city and county courts, and local government are incorporated into these records, and are believed public unless legally redacted. Both administrators and criminals can be held accountable because of their choices as a result of these laws, which provide the citizenry with the tools they require to examine issues outside of their governing administration.