State Of Louisiana v. Jason Leon Griffin

Opinion

STATE OF LOUISIANA COURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2026 KW 0065

VERSUS

JASON LEON GRIFFIN APRIL 8, 2026

In Re: Jason Leon Griffin, applying for supervisory writs, 22nd Judicial District Court, Parish of St. Tammany, No. 5305-F-2020.

BEFORE : THERIOT, BALFOUR, AND HAGGERTY,! JJ.

WRIT DENIED. As an indigent inmate, relator is entitled to receive certain court documents, such as the bill of information, commitment papers, court minutes for various portions of the trial, and minutes of his sentencing, free of charge without the necessity of establishing a particularized need. See State ex rel. Simmons v. State, 93-0275 (La. 12/16/94), 647 So.2d 1094 (per curiam). As to all other documents, an indigent inmate has the constitutional right to free copies only in those instances in which he shows that denial of the request will deprive him of an adequate opportunity to present his claims fairly. Meeting that constitutional threshold requires a showing of a particularized need. An inmate therefore cannot make a showing of particularized need absent a properly filed application for postconviction relief, which sets out specific claims of constitutional errors requiring the requested documentation for support. See State ex rel. Bernard v. Criminal District Court Section “J”, 94-2247 (La. 4/28/95), 653 So.2d 1174 (per curiam). There is no indication that relator has filed an application for postconviction relief in this matter. Accordingly, the district court did not abuse its discretion by denying the motion for production of documents.

MRT KEB BDH

“SOURT OF APPEAL, FIRST CIRCUIT

I eva AY Ono

PUTY CLERK OF COURT FOR THE COURT

‘Haggerty, J., serving pro tempore, by special appointment of the Louisiana Supreme Court.