Fear of Public Records

The right to inspect public records including court filings is a common law right in the US. In Nixon vs. Warner Communications, the US Supreme Court wrote, "It is clear that the courts of this country recognize a general right to inspect and copy public records and document, including judicial records and documents."

So why are court officials and government officials often trying to block the public's access to this information. Well, my best guess for example, here in NM where the Administrative Office of the Courts have gone on a binge trying to undue public access, that someone in AOC has something in his past that caused him to have a hard time finding a job. Now that he has clout, he has decided to prevent people from doing public records research as a form of pay back. Pretty petty and pathetic!