§ 31-2-11 — § 31-2-11. Records open for inspection — Admissibility of certified copies of records as evidence.

Rhode Island § 31-2-11

• Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
• Title 31: Motor and Other vehicles
• Ch. 31-2: Division of Motor Vehicles

Text

§ 31-2-11. Records open for inspection — Admissibility of certified copies of records as evidence.

(a) All records of the division of motor vehicles, other than those declared by law to be confidential for the use of the division of motor vehicles, shall be open to public inspection during office hours. Any copies or photostatic copies of any records, books, papers, documents, and rulings of the division of motor vehicles when certified to be correct by an employee of the division of motor vehicles who is designated for this purpose by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall be acceptable as evidence in the courts of this state with the same force and effect as the originals, in all cases where such original records, books, papers, documents, and rulings would be admitted in evidence.

(b) Whenever any subpoena duces tecum is issued to the administrator of the division of motor vehicles for the production in court of the records, books, papers, documents, or rulings of the division of motor vehicles it shall not be necessary for the administrator of the division of motor vehicles to whom the subpoena is issued to appear personally, and a copy or photostat duly certified under the seal of the department by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles of the records, books, papers, documents, or rulings of the division of motor vehicles submitted as described in this section shall be full compliance with the subpoena. Under the application to the court and for good cause shown, the court may compel the attendance of the administrator of the division of motor vehicles or the supervisor or an assistant who is charged with the care and custody of the official records or any investigator of the division of motor vehicles to answer the subpoena duces tecum.

(c) For the purposes outlined in this section, the person designated by the administrator of the division of motor vehicles shall be the official "keeper of records� for the division.

Legislative History

P.L. 1950, ch. 2595, art. 2, § 7; G.L. 1956, § 31-2-11; P.L. 1968, ch. 155, § 1; P.L. 1969, ch. 133, § 1.