State Of Louisiana v. Reginald Harris

STATE OF LOUISIANA

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2021 KW 1411

VERSUS

REGINALD HARRIS FEBRUARY 14, 2022

In Re: Reginald Harris, applying for 19th
supervisory writs,
Judicial District Court, Parish of East Baton Rouge,
No. 02- 04- 0559.

BEFORE: MCCLENDON, WELCH, AND THERIOT, 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 records. See La. R. S. 44: 31 &
44: 32. If a request for is denied the
public records by
custodian, before seeking relief from this court, the person

must first institute civil proceedings for a writ of mandamus at
the district court level. See La. R. S. 44: 35( A). Should the
person prevail,
he should be prepared to pay the regular service
fees for copies of the documents. After the district court

rules
in the civil proceeding, the person may seek an appeal of
the district court' s action, if he desires. See La. R. S.
44: 35( 0). See also State ex rel. McKnight v. State, 98- 2258
La. App. 1st Cir. 12/ 03/ 98), 742 So. 2d 894, 895 ( per curiam).

We further note the records of the East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk
of Court' s Office reflect that the district court acted on

relator' s request for public records on January 19, 2022.

PMc
JEW
MRT

COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

4 DEPUTY CLERK OF COURT
FOR THE COURT