News & Observer Publishing Co. v. State Ex Rel. Starling

MITCHELL, Justice.

The issues raised by this appeal concern the circumstances under which members of the public are to be given access to records of the State Bureau of Investigation [hereinafter “S.B.I.”]. Our analysis of these issues rests upon our interpretation of N.C.G.S. 114-15 which provides that S.B.I. records and evidence are not public records but may be made available to the public “only upon an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.” Because we believe that the legislature intended the statute to be a limitation upon access to S.B.I. records, we reverse the decision of the…