Alabama Attorney General Opinion 1979-0183

CHARLES A. GRADDICK LEE L. HALE ATTORNEY GENERAL DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL STATE OF ALABAMA CE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL gq_ DDIg73 WILLIAM M. Menu ns, JR EXECUTIVE ASS WALTER S. TURNER CI41E11 ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL JANIE NOBLES ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT April 12, 1979 ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING 64 NORTH UNION STREET MONTGOMERY. ALABAMA 34130 AREA 1203). •34-15150 Mrs. Ruth L. Moon Clerk, Etowah County Jury Commission Etowah County Courthouse G-11, 800 Forrest Avenue Gadsden, Alabama 35901 Jury Commissions-Courts-Juries Juror qualification question- naires are public records and are therefore subject to scrutiny by persons who request to see them. Dear Mrs. Moon: I am responding to your letter of February 28, 1979, in which you ask whether completed juror qualification questionnaires, which are sent to potential jurors by the Etowah County Jury Commission, are subject to scrutiny by attorneys who request to see them. It is my opinion that these juror forms are public records within the meaning of §41-13-1, Code of Alabama 1975, which defines "public records" to include all documents ...made or received in pursuance of law by the public offi- cers of the state, counties, municipalities and other sub- divisions of government in the transaction of public business..." These juror forms are sent out and received by the jury commission in compliance with §12-16-59(a), Code of Alabama 1975, which states, in part: "The jury commission shall mail to every prospective juror whose name is drawn from the master jury box a juror qualification form accompanied by instructions to fill out and re- turn the form to the jury commission within 10 days after its receipt." _ Mrs. Ruth L. Moon April 12, 1979 Page Two Additionally, §12-16-64, Code of Alabama 1975, directs the jury commission to preserve for a period of not less than four years all records and papers compiled and main- tained by the jury commission in connection with the selection and service of jurors. Accordingly, because these forms are public records, they are subject to scrutiny by persons who desire to see them. Sincerely, LINDA C. BRELAND Assistant Attorney General LCB:bb JY