I certainly sympathize with not being able to copy old documents. I understand the necessity of protecting them. However, ... NO public official can legally deny a copy of any "public" records. It's a fundamental right to obtain copies of any and all public records at reasonable costs, times,and places. We do not have a right to just walk in and demand a copy at any time. However, legally we have a right to access. My husband, who is an attorney, said that if you should encounter this problem in the future, you should go to the Judge's office who is responsible for that particular court and explain the problem to his/her bailiff who in turn will relay the information to the judge and the copies will be released in accordance with law. That said, we do need to be careful and try and protect these old documents and I think it would probably be easier to get the scanner pen. Of course, I'm not sure what is worse, not being able to get a copy from a book, or to be handed the original marriage license, as I was in one county in Tennessee and told that I could have it. I was shocked, and questioned the clerk, and they said they did it all the time. So I am in possession of it, and no one will ever be able to look upon it again in that courthouse. So sad.... Ramona searching Gibson, Caldwell, Edwards, Brown, Collins, Beets, Beeler, Croushore, Englebrite/Engebretson _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

I had a similar experience several years ago in a county (un-named) in central PA when they allowed me to go to the basement and go through boxes of old documents, some dated in the 1700s, to take whatever I wanted. I found court appointment orders with my relatives name listed in the proceedings! I wonder if Romona's husband is of the opinion that his suggested tactic would work with the "Declaration of Independence" hoisted for public viewing in a special glass case daily in the U.S. National Archives in Wash., D.C.? GWP ____________ At 03:19 AM 2/2/2001 +0000, you wrote: >I certainly sympathize with not being able to copy old documents. I >understand the necessity of protecting them. However, ... NO public >official can legally deny a copy of any "public" records. It's a >fundamental right to obtain copies of any and all public records at >reasonable costs, times,and places. We do not have a right to just walk >in and demand a copy at any time. However, legally we have a right to >access. >My husband, who is an attorney, said that if you should encounter this >problem in the future, you should go to the Judge's office who is >responsible for that particular court and explain the problem to his/her >bailiff who in turn will relay the information to the judge and the copies >will be released in accordance with law. > >That said, we do need to be careful and try and protect these old >documents and I think it would probably be easier to get the scanner >pen. Of course, I'm not sure what is worse, not being able to get a copy >from a book, or to be handed the original marriage license, as I was in >one county in Tennessee and told that I could have it. I was shocked, and >questioned the clerk, and they said they did it all the time. So I am in >possession of it, and no one will ever be able to look upon it again in >that courthouse. So sad.... > >Ramona > >searching Gibson, Caldwell, Edwards, Brown, Collins, Beets, Beeler, >Croushore, Englebrite/Engebretson >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com > > >==== BROWN Mailing List ==== >contact list manager at judjack@rocketmail.com > >============================== >Ancestry.com Genealogical Databases >http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist2.asp >Search over 2500 databases with one easy query!