Alabama state laws dictate that records documenting public activities like court documents, arrest records, marriage certificates, vehicular infractions and more are open and accessible to the general public, largely due to the Alabama Public Records Law of 1923. All pertinent information on the multitude of happenings of authorities, municipal courts, and local government are found in these records, and are assumed public unless formally redacted. Inhabitants of Dauphin Island have the ability to better understand their rights due to these laws, and the transparency available from the release of these records helps to keep both criminals and authorities liable with regard to their actions, subsequently leading to a more open and free society for everybody.