Opinion No. 31-3
January 6, 1931
TO: Honorable Joseph S. Baca, Chairman State Corporation Commission Santa Fe, New Mexico
{*20} You request advice upon the question as to whether or not the minutes of the Corporation Commission are a public record, and whether or not they should be shown to the general public upon demand.
In volume 23 of Ruling Case Law, at page 160, we find the following:
"It is quite generally conceded that there is no common law right in all persons to inspect public documents or records, and that right, if it exists, depends entirely upon statutory grant."
We are unable to find any statutory grant.
It would not seem unreasonable to request individuals desiring an examination of such records to state in writing the purposes for which they wish to make the inspection. In that way, it would be possible for your office to exercise its discretion in the matter. If at any time you are in serious doubt as to the propriety of exhibiting the records of your office, it might be well to let the parties demanding such records institute any proceedings that they may think proper so that your action may be justified by a court order.