On January 10, 2018, the ACLU of Kansas filed an amicus brief in the Kansas Court of Appeals in a case involving the issue of open court records.
The amicus brief was filed on behalf of Linus Baker against Katherine Stocks, Official Custodian of Records for the Tenth Judicial District.
Earlier this year, Baker filed an open records request seeking a copy of the digital audio recording of the proceedings in a case in which he was not involved. After an exchange of phone calls, emails and letters, Baker's request was denied by Stocks.
Stocks claimed that the Kansas Supreme Court has found that audio recordings are not subject to public disclosure. The Supreme Court rule cited by Stocks, however, does not completely restrict the disclosure of audio recordings of court proceedings.
The public and the press have a common law right to inspect and obtain copies of electronic audio recordings of proceedings held in open court in civil cases in Kansas. The ACLU of Kansas urges the Court of Appeals to reverse the restriction.