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Opinion

Opinion By: Gregory D. Stumbo, Attorney General; Amye L. Bensenhaver, Assistant Attorney General

Open Records Decision

This matter having been presented to the Attorney General in an open records appeal, and the Attorney General being sufficiently advised, we find that the Gallatin Circuit Court Clerk is not bound by the provisions of the Kentucky Open Records Act, and therefore did not violate the Open Records Act in the disposition of Michael Linde's request for "a copy of State Police Video (Evidence) entered in [the Gallatin Circuit] Court . . . [that] includes evidence of a Criminal Act under Case No. 04-CR-00010." It is the decision of this office that 98-ORD-6, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated by reference, is controlling. Redress for Mr. Linde's grievances relative to the disposition of his requests, and the premature destruction of evidence, rests in the courts and not in this office.

A party aggrieved by this decision may appeal it by initiating action in the appropriate circuit court pursuant to KRS 61.880(5) and KRS 61.882. Pursuant to KRS 61.880(3), the Attorney General should be notified of any action in circuit court, but should not be named as a party in that action or in any subsequent proceeding.

LLM Summary
The Attorney General's decision concludes that the Gallatin Circuit Court Clerk is not subject to the Kentucky Open Records Act regarding a request for a copy of State Police Video (Evidence) related to a specific criminal case. The decision follows the precedent set in 98-ORD-006, which is cited as controlling. It states that any grievances regarding the handling of the request or the destruction of evidence should be addressed in the courts, not through the office of the Attorney General.
Disclaimer:
The Sunshine Law Library is not exhaustive and may contain errors from source documents or the import process. Nothing on this website should be taken as legal advice. It is always best to consult with primary sources and appropriate counsel before taking any action.
Requested By:
Michael Linde
Agency:
Gallatin Circuit Court Clerk
Type:
Open Records Decision
Lexis Citation:
2005 Ky. AG LEXIS 68
Cites:
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