Opinion ID: 1399075
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: dispute over the public records

Text: Merrill made a media-specific demand for certain public records. He pressed for a microfilm copy of the Income Tax Filers Index [the Index], an annual record of the names and addresses of approximately 1.3 million persons who file tax returns. He also wanted a copy of the Unclaimed Property Division's Desk List [the Desk List] on a computer-readable medium. The list contains information the Unclaimed Property Act requires to be published. Merrill knew these two items were available for inspection and copying at the office of the Oklahoma Tax Commission during regular business hours and had, in fact, used the Index. After several months of correspondence and phone conversations with Merrill, the Commission quoted fees for microfiche copies of Index and a computer-readable copy of the Desk List. Merrill contends the offer came too late and the proposed copying charges were excessive. The Commission responds that because Merrill's request for microfilm and computer-tape copies was so unique, its legal staff and computer services division had to decide whether compliance was possible, and if so, the procedure to be used in providing the services and its costs. The nisi prius conclusion was that under all of the revealed circumstances the Tax Commission did act promptly in giving Merrill access to the records and that its proposed copy charges were not excessive. [46] A review of the record is necessary for our decision on whether this trial court's conclusion is clearly contrary to the weight of the evidence. [47] Merrill testified his initial inquiry to the Income Tax Division was made November 25, 1987; its response came on December 29, 1987. At about the same time he wrote the Management Information Systems [MIS] Director requesting a computer-readable copy of the Desk List. The Director notified him that he had forwarded the letter to the Unclaimed Property Division. Both divisions later referred Merrill's letters to the Commission's legal department. Written responses indicate both the Commission's willingness to honor the public-records requests and these records' availability in the Commission office during normal business hours. Merrill concedes he had access to the records but never made any copies. The Commission's witness testified that this was the first and only time the Commission had received a request for computer-readable copies and there is a five-year backlog in developing computer jobs and systems. To comply with Merrill's request, the Director would have to divert staff from their regular jobs. Nothing adduced in these proceedings demonstrates the Commission engaged in dilatory practices. Ample proof supports the nisi prius conclusion that the agency's response-time was reasonable. The Commission informed Merrill that it would provide a microfiche copy of the Index for $350.00 and a computer tape copy of the Desk List for $258.00. The charges include labor and administrative costs. The Open Records Act permits such fees to be charged if the request is solely for commercial purposes or would cause excessive disruption of the public body's essential functions. [48] According to the trial court, both factors were present here. Merrill contends his uncontroverted testimony that he intended to conduct an independent audit of the Commission to detect any wrongdoing on the agency's part mandates a finding that the record request is not solely for commercial purposes. If it is insufficient to induce belief under all the facts and circumstances, the trier of facts is not bound by the testimony of interested parties, even when it is undisputed by other proof. [49] It is within the trial court's province to weigh the witnesses' credibility and assess the effect and value their testimony is to be given. Even if upon the evidence presented, the trial court might have been equally correct in reaching a different conclusion, the judgment is nonetheless free from infirmity. [50] When Merrill was first asked his reason for requesting the documents, he wrote that he wanted to use them in his law practice. He testified later that he intended to become a private attorney general and conduct an audit of approximately 1.3 million names on the Index. He planned to use the information about the approximately 125,000 persons who may own abandoned property to test the Commission's job performance. The trial court's conclusion that Merrill intended to use the information solely for commercial purposes has ample evidentiary support. The Commission's witness testified that the copy charge was based upon the cost of materials cum labor needed for providing the computer program and service to produce the requested data. Because of the heavy work-load, it would be disruptive of the Commission's day-to-day critical functions to pull someone off their job to fill Merrill's request for a computer tape. According to the record, many persons make copies of Commission records without incurring cost by using their own copying materials in the Commission office. From our examination of the record we cannot say the decision that the costs quoted to Merrill are reasonable is clearly contrary to the weight of the evidence. Since the Open Records Act provides for attorney's fees only to those who successfully challenge the agency's denial of access to a public record, Merrill's claim of error in the district court's failure to award him attorney's fees is meritless. [51] The trial court's judgment is affirmed. HODGES, V.C.J., and HARGRAVE, ALMA WILSON and SUMMERS, JJ., concur; LAVENDER, J., concurs in part and dissents in part; SIMMS and KAUGER, JJ., concur in result.