The Court Determines Whether Public Records Were Properly Exempted from Disclosure by the State

In Ragsdale v. State, 720 So. 2d 203, 206 (Fla. 1998), this Court had to determine whether public records were properly exempted from disclosure by the State. The Court ruled that where doubt existed as to whether the State must disclose a particular document, the proper procedure is to have a trial judge conduct an in-camera review of the documents. See id.; see also State v. Kokal, 562 So. 2d 324, 327 (Fla. 1990) (stating that when certain statutory exemptions are claimed by the party against whom the public records request has been filed or when doubt exists as to whether a particular document must be disclosed, the proper procedure is to furnish the document to the trial judge for an in-camera inspection). After conducting an in-camera review, the State must turn over the nonexempt materials to the defense. See Ragsdale, 720 So. 2d at 206.