State Of Louisiana v. Columbus Chris Williams, Jr

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2025 KW 0423

COLUMBUS CHRIS WILLIAMS

AUGUST 18, 2025

In Re: Columbus Chris Williams a.k.a Columbus Williams, Jr.,
applying for supervisory writs, 32nd Judicial District
Court, Parish of Terrebonne, No. 2004-FELY-423851.

BEFORE : McCLENDON, C.J., GREENE AND STROMBERG, JJ.

WRIT DENIED. Relator’s recently filed motions requesting a
new trial for convictions ranging from 1980 to 2014 are untimely.
See La. Code Crim. P. art. 853. Thus, the district court did not
err in denying those motions. Additionally, with regard to
relator’s request for documents, as an indigent inmate, relator is
entitled to receive certain court documents, such as the guilty
plea transcript, the bill of information or indictment, commitment
papers, court minutes for various portions of the trial, and
minutes of his sentencing, free of charge without the necessity of
establishing a particularized need. See State ex rel. Simmons v.
State, 93-0275 (La. 12/16/94), 647 So.2d 1094 (per curiam). As to
all other documents, an indigent inmate has the constitutional
right to free copies only in those instances in which he shows
that denial of the request will deprive him of an adequate
opportunity to present his claims fairly. Meeting that
constitutional threshold requires a showing of a particularized
need. An inmate therefore cannot make a showing of particularized
need absent a properly filed application for postconviction
relief, which sets out specific claims of constitutional errors
requiring the requested documentation for Support. See State ex
rel. Bernard v. Criminal District Court Section "7," 94-2247 (La.
4/28/95), 653 So.2d 1174 (per curiam). The district court did not
err in denying relator’s motion for production of documents, as
there is no indication that relator properly filed an application
for postconviction relief setting forth specific claims of
constitutional errors.

If relator is seeking the requested information under the
Public Records Law, a writ application arising in a criminal
proceeding is not the proper procedural vehicle to establish a
right to those records. see 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 public records is denied by the custodian, before seeking
relief from this court, the person must first institute civil
proceedings for a writ of mandamus at the district court level.

STATE OF LOUISIANA
COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

NO. 2025 KW 0423

PAGE 2 OF 2

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(C). See also State ex rel. McKnight
v. State, 98-2258 (La. App. ist Cir. 12/3/98), 742 So.2d 894, 895
(per curiam).

PMc

HG
TPS

“SOURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

RK OF COURT
FOR THE COURT