Brazos County District Clerk and 20+ others named in lawsuit over access to online court records
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – A California-based news organization is suing more than 20 district clerks from all over Texas regarding access to online court records.
Included in that suit is Brazos County district clerk Gabriel Garcia.
The organization Courthouse News filed the suit in July after sending letters to district clerks, asking for the right to access new civil complaints.
Courthouse News says the delay in getting information hurts their news and business.
The company cites that news operates on a daily cycle and having to wait to request information makes it late or “old news“, comparing it to “day old bread”.
In the past anyone could visit a website like Brazos County’s Justice Web to get court-related information, today those records are still searchable but you cannot access any of the details.
When Brazos County limited online access to its records, they cited privacy concerns because some of those online documents contained personal information like dates of birth and addresses.
Court records show the company is asking for the use of a ‘press review tool’ which could provide access to these records, specifically for media who will use them on the day when they are filed.
At this time Dallas and Travis counties have begun to use the review tool according to the lawsuit.
