Blackshear v. State

Jerome Blackshear appeals an order denying his motion seeking to compel a response from the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Madison County to his request for information about the cost for copying the records in his criminal case file. The lower court denied the motion because it “is not the correct avenue for seeking relief in the form of this Court ordering a public official to perform a ministerial duty.” We conclude the court should have treated Blackshear’s motion as a petition for writ of mandamus and issued an alternative writ to the Clerk to show cause why the relief sought should not…