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From: Martin L. Kahn
Date: 2/21/98
Time: 6:32:42 PM
Remote Name: 38.217.62.132
If court data is made available on the internet, do you think users should be charged: NO. WHY SHOULD THE PUBLIC, INCLUDING LITIGANTS, BE CHARGED FOR THE RIGHT TO INSPECT FILES BY A METHOD THAT IS NOW TECHNOLOGICALLY AVAILABLE VIA THE FREE INTERNET. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS ALSO WOULD BENEFIT THE APPEALLATE COURTS BY REDUCING CLERK'S TIME SPENT WITH ATTORNEYS, LITIGANTS, AND OTHERS ON THE TELEPHONE OR AT THE FILE DESK ANSWERING QUESTIONS REGARDING PENDING CASES. REGARDLESS, THE JUDICIAL BRANCH IS A BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE THAT EXISTS TO PROTECT AND SERVE THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE. IT OFFENDS ME ANYTIME A STATE AGENCY CHARGES FOR INFORMATION, WHICH IS PART OF THE SERVICES THAT STATE GOVERNMENT IS CONSTITUTIONALLY AND STATUTORIALLY OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE. THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE FREE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND DATA.