Alabama’s Public Records Law of 1923 guarantees its residents the ability to find, obtain, and make use of records held by government bodies, including arrest records, court records, marriage and divorce licenses, and records of traffic infractions, and this legal right extends to the residents of Gardendale. This law, itself in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act at the national level, offers Gardendale people with information relating to cases of governmental intervention, such as the addresses and names of those involved, the events leading up an incidence, effects and sentences handed down, and much more. Citizens of Gardendale have the ability to better understand their rights thanks to these laws, and the transparency provided by the release of these records helps to keep both criminals and legislators responsible for their actions, in turn resulting in a more open and free society for everybody.