N THE MASON MUNICIPAL COURT MASON, WARREN COUNTY, OHIO

In Re: Amendments to local rules of court

As an emergency measure and in an effort to promote the public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of court as well as comply with appropriate demands for public inspection of the people’s records prepared and maintained by the clerk of court, the following local rule is adopted,

This order will remain in effect until January 1, 2004 when House Bill 490 substantially replaces and redefines certain functions of this process. Therefore after that date the provisions of HB 490 will prevail and be accepted by this Court as its local rule for any public records request. Reference ORC §149.43 as modified by HB 490 on its effective date.

"COURT RECORDS.

A. Inspection. All indexes, dockets, journals, and file records maintained in accordance with law by the clerk of court shall be open to public inspection during regular business hours in a manner that does not interfere with the normal operation of the clerk’s office. Other case file material or audio electronically recorded court proceedings shall only be inspected with permission of the court. All inspections shall be made under the supervision of court personnel. Original papers and tapes/cd’s shall not be removed from the office of the clerk of court (which on non-jury trial days shall include the jury room adjacent to the Batsche Courtroom, also now known on non-jury trial days as the "public inspection room"), except for official use in a court proceeding. Demands for public inspection shall be made, in writing, at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled inspection, unless good reason is shown, so as not to interfere with the normal operation of the clerk’s office or the court’s business. B. Fee for copies. A charge of 25¢ ($1.00 for certified) per page shall be madeassessed for a photostatic copy of any document. The charge shall not exceed the actual cost to the Mason Municipal Court. A charge of $30.00 shall be made for copies of tapes/cd’s. The charge shall not exceed the actual cost to the Mason Municipal Court. Copy fees shall be paid in advance. C. Redaction of private information. Information such as social security information and other information defined in O.R. C. §149.43(A)(1) and §149.433 as not constituting public records, will be redacted from the public inspection as deemed appropriate by the Clerk (private information). Any private information obtained by the individual conducting the public inspection as a result of an error by the clerk of court or any court personnel shall not be used by the person conducting the public inspection in any way to the detriment of the person(s) possessing the right to maintain the privacy thereof and shall be disclosed by the person conducting the public inspection if observed and understood as private to the supervising court personnel."

3. Any public records request must be submitted to the Clerk of Court in writing and requesting party must allow up to 3 business days to received copied documents.

CN_LIB:347730.1