Whenever any of the books furnished by the state to the judicial officers thereof have been destroyed without fault on their part, or on the part of their predecessors in office, the Secretary of State shall furnish to the incumbents duplicate copies, if in the possession of the state and not required for use by the state or otherwise appropriated, but before he shall do so, the Secretary of State shall be satisfied, by affidavit or other evidence, that such books were destroyed without fault on the part of such officers or their predecessors.
Ala. Code § 36-14-14 (1975)