Jonathan Taylor v. Office of the Massachusetts Jury Commissioner (SPR 20170721)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts William Francis Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth Public Records Division Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor ofR ecords May 25, 2017 SPR17/721 Jonathan Taylor Dear Mr. Taylor: I have received your petition appealing the nonresponse of the Office of the Massachusetts Jury Commissioner to your request for public records. G. L. c. 66 § lOA; see also 950 C.M.R. 32.08(1). Specifically, you requested "[t]he Trial Juror's Handbook." 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, ~~ Rebecca S. Murray Supervisor of Records cc: Office of the Massachusetts Jury Commissioner 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