Maryland state laws dictate that records showing public actions like court papers, arrest records, marriage licenses, traffic infractions and more are open and available to the public, largely because of the Maryland Public Information Act. All relevant information on the multitude of happenings of authorities, local courts, and local government are found in these records, and generally are presumed public unless officially redacted. Both law enforcement and criminals may be held responsible for their behaviour as a consequence of these laws, which provide the citizenry with the resources they require to analyze concerns separate from their authorities.