Court Opinion

ID: 9404360
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-06-22 20:06:48.30949+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:20:13.351205
License: Public Domain

STATE OF LOUISIANA
                    COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

    STATE OF LOUISIANA                                                                                       NO.      2023        KW 0231
 VERSUS

 RAY     A.     BROOKS
                                                                                                              JUNE        22,          2023

 In     Re:          Ray         A.        Brooks,            applying                  for    supervisory                writs,             22nd
                     Judicial                 District              Court,              Parish        of     St.         Tammany,             No.
                     412111.

 BEFORE:             GUIDRY,               C. J.,       MCCLENDON AND WELCH,                           JJ.

          WRIT           DENIED.             A        writ        application                  arising             in        a    criminal
 proceeding               is     not         the       proper           procedural                 vehicle         to     establish                 a

 right to records under the Public Records Law,                                                              La.      R. S.       44: 1,        et
 seq.     A "       person"            who         wants          to     examine              public        records              must        make
 the     request           to        the      custodian                 of    the       records.            See    La.        R. S.         44: 31
       44: 32.        An        individual                    in        custody           after         sentence
                                                                                                                                 following
 felony         conviction                   who       has      exhausted                his         appellate           remedies              is
 permitted           access            to     public records if the request is limited to
 grounds         upon          which         the individual could file for postconviction
 relief        under           La.     Code           Crim.        P.        art.       930. 3.       La.     R. S.       44: 31. 1.           If
a     request        for        public             records             is     denied by the                  custodian,                before
seeking          relief          from            this       court,            the       person        must        first          institute
civil         proceedings                    for       a     writ           of    mandamus             at     the        trial          court
level.         See       La.         R. S.        44: 35( A).                Should           the      person            prevail,              he
should
the
        be prepared
     documents.
                    to pay the regular service fees for copies of
                 After                                the     trial              court        issues         a
                                                                                                                   ruling              in     the
civil                                        the
              proceeding,                              person         may           seek       a     civil         appeal              of     the
trial            court' s                    action,                if            he           desires.            See    La.               R. S.
44: 35( C).          State ex rel.                      McKnight v.                 State,           98- 2258 (         La.                   1st
Cir.      1998),
                                                                                                                                 App.
                           742         So. 2d           894 (      per           curiam) .         Moreover,             because             the
limitations                period                of     La.        Code           Crim.         P.      art.          930. 8( A)             has
expired,            in     the         event           that        relator              seeks        documents,                  including
those          to    which             he         is        entitled              as      of         right         such           as         the
indictment,               the        district               court           minutes           for     various            portions             of
his     trial,           and         the      uniform             commitment                  order,        see    State          ex        rel.
Simmons         v.       State,              93- 0275 (            La.        12/ 16/ 94),            647        So. 2d          1094,        he
must     demonstrate                   that           he     has        made        a
                                                                                         showing            of     particularized
need     by      filing              an      application                    for     Postconviction                    relief            which
would         fall       under         one         of       the     enumerated                 exceptions                        La.
                                                                                                                        of                  Code
Crim.     P.     art.          930. 8( A)
                                                      and that he needs the requested documents
to    support        a     claim.                State ex           rel.          Fleury v.            State,           93- 2898 (           La.
10/ 13/ 95),         661        So. 2d 488.
                                                                   JMG
                                                                   PMC
                                                                   JEW