Opinion ID: 1191310
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Party in Interest

Text: The final point which the Manager argues is that the News is not a party in interest to the confidential medical, psychological, and sociological information contained in a coroner's autopsy report. Most of the arguments under this heading of his brief are restatements of his arguments under the other points. We will not repeat the answers set out above, except to conclude with the legislative committee's statement in reference to the Declaration of Policy. It reads: The bill begins with a statement of policy to the effect that all public records shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided by this bill or as otherwise specifically provided by law. This statement clearly eliminates any requirement that a person show a special interest in order to be permitted access to particular public records. It also establishes the basic premise that in the absence of a specific statute permitting the withholding of information, a public official has no authority to deny any person access to public records. The judgment of the trial court is affirmed. PRINGLE, C. J., does not participate.