Washington state guidelines dictate that records revealing public actions like court papers, arrest records, marriage certificates, vehicular violations and more are open and accessible to the populace, largely as a result of the Washington's 1973 Public Records Act. These records contain titles, times, specifications on incidences, sentences, procedures and a lot more, and generally are all assumed public unless otherwise stated. This legislation, that was largely based on the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, are in place to guarantee U.S. Citizens and people of Mount Vernon have the ability to understand their legal rights, and hold government bodies and criminals liable with regard to their actions, promoting a free and open society for all.