Washington state regulations determine that records showing municipal activities such as court papers, arrest records, marriage certificates, traffic violations and more are open and accessible to the populace, largely because of the Washington's 1973 Public Records Act. All applicable specifics on the various happenings of authorities, local courts, and local government are contained in these records, and are deemed public unless officially redacted. People of Garfield have the ability to better realize their rights because of these laws, and the transparency provided by the release of these records helps to keep both criminals and authorities liable with regard to their actions, in turn leading to a more open and free society for everybody.