ALABAMA RULES OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION

Appendix. UJS Computer Data Dissemination

Requests—Procedures

I. Submission of request. Request for information contained in the statewide computer data base shall be submitted by the requestor directly to the administrative director of courts (“ADC”).

II. Multiple requests. The ADC will not approve a request that is substantially identical to one received from the same source within six months prior to the date of the request.

III. Application form.

A. Any person requesting access to UJS computer-based data shall complete an application form, approved by the ADC, which provides the following information:

1. Written notice that the completed application form is itself a public record once submitted.

2. Identifying information of requestor

a. date of request

b. name of requestor

c. address

d. telephone number

e. affiliation or identification of the party the requestor represents

3. Concise and specific description of requested information.

4. Statement on the reasons the information is sought.

5. Specific statement of intended use of information.

6. Person(s) or organization(s) to whom the information will be disclosed or distributed.

B. In addition, the application form shall include a section to be completed by the ADC, which includes the following:

1. date of receipt

2. notification of acceptance or rejection

3. reasons for rejection

4. estimated cost

IV. Any person requesting access to UJS computer-based data shall complete a contract agreeing to pay actual cost incurred in producing such information and releasing the ADC and all officers and employees of the UJS from errors in the information supplied. In addition, the requestor shall assume all liability for any use or disclosure of the information beyond that authorized and disclosed by the requestor in his or her application.

V. Exempted or excluded information. Records sealed, exempted, or otherwise restricted by law or rule may not be released to the general public except by court order. Request for information of the following types shall be excluded, exempted or otherwise restricted. This is not an exhaustive list, but only provides examples of the types of information which shall be considered nonavailable or confidential and not subject to public disclosure:

1. Juvenile matters

2. Adoption matters

3. Mental proceeding matters

4. Personnel matters

5. Criminal matters involving sexual offenses committed on a minor under 18 years of age

6. Nonavailable data

VI. Availability of data. Information “made to order,” rather than information readily available, is not subject to disclosure and will not be produced, unless it can be shown to possess significant potential for the enhancement of the judicial system. The ADC shall determine whether a significant potential for enhancement of the judicial system exists. “Available” data means that the information requested is computer-based and is in a current retrievable format.