Judges: Tillinghast
Filed Date: 12/20/1893
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 10/19/2024
At the November session of this court in Washington county, the petition for divorce of Eva M. Lee v. Thomas Z. Lee was heard and granted. Shortly thereafter, as represented by William H. Caswell, clerk of the court in that county, a reporter for a Woonsocket newspaper requested him to furnish a copy of all the proceedings in said case "for publication or otherwise," and he now asks the advice of the court as to his duty in the premises.
At common law, every person is entitled to the inspection, either personally or by his agent, of public records (this term including legislative, executive and judicial records, etc.) provided he has an interest therein which is such as would enable him to maintain or defend an action for which the document or record sought can furnish evidence or necessary information. It is not essential, however, "that the interest be private, capable of sustaining a suit or defence on his own personal behalf; but it will be sufficient that he act in such suit as the representative of the common or public right." 20 Amer. Eng. Encyc. Law, 522-523, and cases cited. By statutes of the United States, (see act of Aug. 12, 1848, 9 U.S. Stat. cap. 166, p. 292) and also of several of the states, the necessity of interest has been done away with, and any person may examine public records and take memoranda therefrom. In re Chambers, 44 Fed. Rep. 786; *Page 836 State v. Rachac,
All the judges concur in this opinion.
*Page 1
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