Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced last week the launch of a modernized online opinions database and the first-ever public access to historic Attorney General opinions dating back more than a century.

According to a news release, the upgrades come after public officials raised concerns over difficulties using the previous online system. In May 2024, Marshall directed his team to improve the database. Under the leadership of Wes Shaw, Chief of the Opinions Division, the office created a more efficient, reliable, and user-friendly platform for searching opinions.

“This week we are also releasing previously unavailable historical opinions of the Alabama Attorney General dating from 1894 to 1980,” Marshall said in the release. “These opinions, never before published online by any Attorney General, provide an important resource for both public officials and the public.”

Marshall emphasized the importance of access to Attorney General opinions for the effective operation of state government.

“Thousands of Alabama public officials depend on access to the Attorney General’s opinions in order to carry out their duties under the law,” he said. “When I became Attorney General, I made it a priority to ensure they had a tool they could rely on. Today, that database is more robust than ever, helping our state government operate more effectively while also making these opinions more accessible to the general public. By expanding access, we are not only supporting public officials but also strengthening government transparency for all Alabamians.”

The office credited Information Technology Systems Specialist Angelique Pugh and Archivist Melisa Martin for their critical roles in completing the modernization project.

Both the updated database and the historical opinions archive are now publicly available at www.alabamaag.gov/opinions.

For more information, contact the Alabama Attorney General’s Office at (334) 242-7300.