The Alabama Supreme Court has held that a city may require a person making access to public records to fill out an application and give a reason for seeking the record. In addition, a municipality may set reasonable restrictions on the time and place of inspection. A municipality has the right to charge a reasonable fee for making copies of the record. I understand that there may be fees associated with this request.
The person seeking access to Public Records may legally be required to show a direct, legitimate interest in the document(s) sought (Brewer v. Watson, 71 Ala.1882)). Statements should be specific (e.g. “Case records for employment background check”) and should not be general (e.g. “I am a taxpayer” or “It’s a public record”).
By signing, you indicate that you have read and agree with the “Disclaimer & Use Information” statement on the General Information Notice.