Reed v. Kim

**Reed v. Kim: Court Rules on Public Records Access** This case involved a dispute over access to court records. Reed, who appears to have been seeking employment-related documents, sued Kim (likely a court clerk) claiming they were wrongfully denied copies of public records. Reed argued that under the Clerks of Court Act, the clerk was required to provide copies of these records. The court ruled against Reed. Both the trial court and appeals court found that the law doesn't actually require clerks to make copies of records for people who request them. Instead, the law only requires that clerks allow the public to access and view these records. The court also noted that Reed failed to prove that access to view the records was denied in any other way. **What this means for workers:** If you need employment-related court documents, understand that court clerks may only be required to let you view records, not necessarily provide you with copies. You may need to make your own copies or pay copying fees. When requesting records, be specific about how your access was limited if you believe your rights were violated. This ruling clarifies that "public access" doesn't automatically mean free copies.