Alabama state laws determine that records revealing public decisions like court documents, police arrest records, marriage certificates, traffic transgressions and more are open and offered to the general public, largely because of the Alabama Public Records Law of 1923. This statute, itself in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act at the national level, provides Selma citizens with particulars relating to cases of governmental involvement, such as the names and addresses of those involved, the events leading up an incidence, effects and sentences handed down, and more. People of Selma have the ability to better realize their rights due to these laws, and the transparency available from the release of these records maintains both criminals and regulators responsible for their actions, subsequently leading to a more open and free society for everybody.