Sec. 492.
Any officer having the custody of any county, city, or township records in this state who shall when requested fail or neglect to furnish proper and reasonable facilities for the inspection and examination of the records and files in his or her office and for making memoranda of transcripts therefrom during the usual business hours, which shall not be less than 4 hours per day, to any person having occasion to make examination of them for any lawful purpose is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00. The custodian of said records and files may make such reasonable rules with reference to the inspection and examination of them as shall be necessary for the protection of said records and files and to prevent interference with the regular discharge of the duties of such officer. The officer shall prohibit the use of pen and ink in making copies or notes of records and files in his or her office. No books, records, and files shall be removed from the office of the custodian thereof, except by the order of the judge of any court of competent jurisdiction, or in response to a subpoena duces tecum issued therefrom, or for audit purposes conducted pursuant to 1919 PA 71, MCL 21.41 to 21.55, 1929 PA 52, MCL 14.141 to 14.145, or 1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 to 141.440a, with the permission of the official having custody of the records if the official is given a receipt listing the records being removed.
History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.492 ;-- Am. 1970, Act 109, Imd. Eff. July 23, 1970 ;-- Am. 2002, Act 672, Eff. Mar. 31, 2003
Former Law: See sections 1 and 2 of Act 92 of 1899, being CL 1915, §§ 3449 and 3450; and CL 1929, §§ 2713 and 2714.