Washington state guidelines stipulate that records revealing public activities for example court documents, arrest records, marriage licenses, vehicular transgressions and more are open and accessible to the public, largely as a result of the Washington's 1973 Public Records Act. All essential info on the many happenings of law enforcement officials, city courts, and local government are incorporated into these records, and generally are assumed public unless formally redacted. Both regulators and criminals are able to be held responsible because of their choices as a result of these laws, that provide the citizenry with the tools they need to look into problems outside of their authorities.