Will need to Courts Minimize Access to Electric Documents?

From the Winter 2001 issue on the News Media & The Law, page 17.

Courts around the nation are developing and acquiring the technology to provide Internet or electric access to court public records. It can make reports searches faster and more effective for the press and members of the public. But privacy passions are compelling some surfaces to issue whether permitting such https://vdr-soft.net broad access to courthouse files.

A number of areas are considering new rules regarding electronic access to court records. A lot of these proposals limit electronic use of specific types of data, including legal case data files. These types of data are more sensitive and present more potential with respect to privacy problems than city case data. Other proposals are more extensive and will allow the general public to see most files, but with restrictions on specific data components or categories of information including social security numbers or medical reports.

The judiciary is seeking public feedback on these proposals. For anyone who is interested in the situation, you should contact your state’s legislators and ask these to support changes to mention open files laws that permit wide-ranging access to all court records, irrespective of their type. You should also motivate attorneys to contact their selected officials and need them to oppose any plans that prohibit access to electric records.