Alabama state laws dictate that records documenting public actions including court documents, arrest records, marriage licenses, traffic transgressions and more are open and accessible to the public, largely because of the Alabama Public Records Law of 1923. This law, itself based on the Freedom of Information Act at the federal level, provides Mobile residents with specifics concerning cases of governmental intervention, including the addresses and names of those involved, the events leading up an event, outcomes and sentences passed down, and much more. People of Mobile have the ability to better recognize their rights thanks to these laws, and the transparency offered by the release of these records maintains both criminals and regulators liable for their actions, in turn leading to a more open and free society for everybody.