§ 21-12-401 — Officer to deliver official records - Penalty for noncompliance

(a) (1) If any civilian or military officer having any records, books, or papers appertaining to any public office resigns, or his or her office becomes vacant, he or she shall deliver to his or her successor all records, books, and papers. (2) When any officer dies before delivering the records, books, and papers, his or her executor or administrator shall deliver such records, books, and papers to his or her successor. (b) If any officer, or the executor or administrator of any officer, shall fail to deliver the records, books, and papers, he or she shall forfeit any sum not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) to be recovered by civil action, information, or indictment for the use of the county, and he or she shall pay to the person injured by the detention of records, books, and papers all damages which he or she may have sustained in consequence of the detention. Rev. Stat., ch. 121, §§ 1-3; C. & M. Dig., §§ 8332[a]-8334; Pope's Dig., §§ 10928-10930; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 12-2001 -- 12-2003.