Julian Castle Logan v. Malden District Court (SPR 20170720)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor ofR ecords May 25, 2017 SPR17/720 Julian Castle Logan Dear Mr. Logan: I have received your petition appealing the nomesponse of the Malden District Court to your request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § lOA; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, you requested a "docket sheet" regarding a specifically identified individual. Having received no response, you petitioned this office. The Office of the Supervisor of Public Records is statutorily empowered with the authority to determine the public record status of government records. G. L. c. 66, § 10. "Public records" is broadly defined to include all documentary materials or data, regardless of physical form, made or received by any officer or employee of any department of the Commonwealth, unless falling within a statutory exemption. G. L. c. 4, § 7(26). In examining this definition, and the separation of powers doctrine, the Supreme Judicial Court has concluded that the Public Records Law does not apply to records of the judiciary. Ann K. Lambert v. Executive Director of the Judicial Nominating Council, 425 Mass. 406, 409 (1997); see also Mass. Const. Pt. 1, Art. 30 (separation of powers). Accordingly, as I am unable to assist you in this matter, I must consider this administrative appeal closed. Sincerely, ~~ Supervisor of Records cc: Malden District Court One Ashburton Place, Room 1719, Boston, Massachusetts 02108 • (617) 727-2832• Fax: (617) 727-5914 sec.state.ma.us/pre• pre@sec.state.ma.us