Los Angeles Superior Court Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Court-ordered sealed documents must be electronically filed, with the party responsible for designating them as sealed.

Source text: If and when a judicial officer orders documents to be filed under seal, those documents must be filed electronically (unless exempted under paragraph 4); the burden of accurately designating the documents as sealed at the time of electronic submission is the submitting party's responsibility.

Parties must redact confidential information (minors' initials, last 4 SSN, birth year) before filing.

Source text: Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 1.201, it is the submitting party's responsibility to redact confidential information (such as using initials for names of minors, using the last four digits of a social security number, and using the year for date of birth) so that the information shall not be publicly displayed.

Confidential filings on eCourt require unredacted versions emailed to chambers, with cc to parties except for Certificates of Merit.

Source text: Any confidential filings (including documents filed under a protective order and documents lodged conditionally) submitted on eCourt must have their unredacted versions emailed to the department resource account at smcdept48@lacourt.org with a cc to all counsel/parties involved. However, copying the opposing party is not required for confidential documents related to Certificates of Merit.

Parties seeking protective order must serve and file proposed order within 5 days of discovery order, meet and confer; default is court's standard protective order.

Source text: If a party believes any of the disclosure of information under this Order should be subject to a protective order, that party shall serve and file a proposed protective order within five days of this order and the parties shall meet and confer as to agreeable language for the same. The default protective order will be the standard protective order provided by the Los Angeles Superior Court on its website.

Party seeking protective order for discovery documents must file proposed protective order within 5 days of order; default protective order is LASC standard form.

Source text: If a party believes any of this information should be subject to a protective order, that party shall serve and file a proposed protective order within 5 days of this order

Materials in support of a motion filed under seal must comply with California Rules of Court Rule 2.551 et seq.

Source text: If counsel wishes to submit any materials in support of a motion under seal, counsel must strictly comply with California Rules of Court Rule 2.551 et. seq.

Motion support materials submitted under seal must comply with California Rules of Court Rule 2.551 et seq.

Source text: If counsel wishes to submit any materials in support of a motion under seal, counsel must strictly comply with California Rules of Court Rule 2.551 et. seq.

Confidential Supplement form must not be placed in the public court file.

Source text: This confidential form must not be placed in the public court file.

Bank account statements with personal info must be filed separately with confidential caption to avoid public record.

Source text: If a bank account statement contains the estate’s or trust’s tax identification number or other personal information that would not ordinarily be disclosed in the account, inventory and appraisal or other non-confidential pleading filed in the action, the account statement must be filed under a separate case cover sheet and the caption must state “CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT” in capital letters so that it can be kept separately from the public record.

Juvenile case files are presumptively confidential and not obtainable by civil or criminal subpoena.

Source text: Generally, juvenile case files are confidential except in certain circumstances. Documents in a juvenile case file also may be privileged or confidential because of other state law or federal law or regulation. Juvenile case files may not be obtained or inspected by either civil or criminal subpoena.

Court may order redaction of other children's information in multi-child juvenile case files as condition of access.

Source text: Where more than one child is included in a juvenile case file, the court may order the names and/or information of the other children redacted as a condition to granting access or copies of the record. Alternatively, the court may prohibit disclosure of the record where redaction is not practical or possible.

Confidential juvenile case file documents must be placed in confidential envelopes in the court file.

Source text: Such documents must be placed in confidential envelopes.

Juvenile case files of deceased dependent children are released to public upon petition, notice, and opportunity to object.

Source text: If a child dies while he or she is under the jurisdiction of the dependency court, the juvenile case file of that child must be released to the public upon the filing of a petition, and after notice and an opportunity to object have been provided to interested parties.

HIV test results for children 11 and under must be provided to the court in a sealed envelope marked “confidential.”

Source text: If authorization for testing is obtained for a child 11 years of age or younger, DCFS must provide the court with the result of such test in a sealed envelope marked “confidential.”

HIV test results and diagnoses may not be disclosed to other parties without a court order upon a showing of good cause.

Source text: DCFS may not disclose the test results and any diagnosis(es) derived therefrom to any other parties, but may petition the judicial officer hearing the matter for such disclosure, upon a showing of good cause.

Penal Code 987.9 appearance logs must be provided under seal within 60 days of sentencing.

Source text: A separate log of Penal Code section 987.9 appearances must be maintained by the primary counsel for each defendant and provided, under seal, with the final list of appearances required within 60 days of the sentencing date.

Court-ordered sealed documents must be e-filed with accurate sealed designation by the submitting party.

Source text: If and when a judicial officer orders documents to be filed under seal, those documents must be filed electronically (unless exempted under paragraph 4); the burden of accurately designating the documents as sealed at the time of electronic submission is the submitting party's responsibility.

Submitting parties must redact confidential personal information (minors' names, SSN, DOB) from filings.

Source text: Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 1.201, it is the submitting party's responsibility to redact confidential information (such as using initials for names of minors, using the last four digits of a social security number, and using the year for date of birth) so that the information shall not be publicly displayed.

Parties and attorneys must redact Social Security numbers (only last four digits) and financial account numbers (only last four digits) from all pleadings and papers filed in the Court's public file, whether in paper or electronic form, unless otherwise provided by law or court order.

Source text: It is the sole responsibility of the filer to ensure that confidential identifiers are properly omitted or redacted prior to transmission: "To protect personal privacy and other legitimate interests, parties and their attorneys must not include, or must redact where inclusion is necessary, the following identifiers from all pleadings and other papers filed in the Court's public file, whether filed in paper or electronic form, unless otherwise provided by law or ordered by the Court: (1) Social Security numbers. If an individual's Social Security number is required in a pleading or other paper filed in the public file, only the last four digits of that number may be used. (2) Financial account numbers. If financial account numbers are required in a pleading or other paper filed in the public file, only the last four digits of these numbers may be used." [California Rule of Court 1.201(a).]

Bank account statements with tax IDs or personal info must be filed under separate cover sheet with 'CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT' caption.

Source text: If a bank account statement contains the estate’s or trust’s tax identification number or other personal information that would not ordinarily be disclosed in the account, inventory and appraisal or other non-confidential pleading filed in the action, the account statement must be filed under a separate case cover sheet and the caption must state “CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT” in capital letters so that it can be kept separately from the public record.

Parties must redact confidential information (minor initials, last 4 SSN, birth year) from public filings.

Source text: Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 1.201, it is the submitting party’s responsibility to redact confidential information (such as using initials for names of minors, using the last four digits of a social security number, and using the year for date of birth) so that the information shall not be publicly displayed.

Sealed motion materials must comply with CRC 2.551; conditionally sealed documents are exempt from e-filing.

Source text: If counsel seek to submit materials in support of a motion under seal, counsel must strictly comply with CRC 2.551, et seq. Pursuant to the General Order Mandatory Electronic Filing for Civil, documents submitted conditionally under seal are exempt from eFiling.

All sealing must comply with CRC 2.550/2.551; court requires specific findings for each sentence, legal justification, narrowly tailored to privacy, trade secrets, or other protected info.

Source text: All parties must strictly comply with California Rules of Court 2.550 and 2.551. The Court cannot seal documents filed in Court merely because the parties agree they should be sealed. The Court's obligation to conduct all proceedings with transparency means that the Court must make specific findings as to every sentence in every document that a party wishes to file under seal. The Court must be persuaded that there is a legal justification for sealing. The sealing order must be narrowly tailored to seal only the specific information that is protected by the right to privacy, the trade secrets law, or other applicable protections.

Confidential discovery motion materials must be redacted, unredacted version in sealed envelope behind caption page, redacted version filed publicly.

Source text: Confidential documents submitted in connection with discovery motions are not governed by Rules 2.550 and 2.551. To file confidential material in connection with discovery motions, the parties should (a) narrowly identify and redact the confidential information from the confidential document; (b) submit an unredacted version in a sealed envelope stapled behind the caption page of the document (making sure that the caption page states that the submission is for a discovery motion); and (c) file a redacted version of the document (making it available to the public in the court file).

Exhibits with sensitive personal information must be redacted unless the court rules otherwise, with redaction approved by opposing counsel first.

Source text: Exhibits with Personal Information: No exhibit that contains sensitive personal information is to be displayed to the jury or shown to a witness unless the Court rules that the information shall remain on the exhibit. Examples of sensitive personal information include but are not limited to: social security number, home address, phone number(s) and email address. Before redacting personal identifying information on a document, a party who wishes to use the document shall show the document to opposing counsel and the portion to be redacted. If there is any objection to redacting any information on the document, counsel is to take up the issue with the court.

Conditionally sealed documents must have application to seal heard 2 weeks before underlying motion, with 10-day windows for applications and withdrawals.

Source text: When a party files a pleading “conditionally under seal,” per rule 2.551, that party typically files it concurrently with the related motion or application and sets the hearing on the same date as that motion. Any party has 10 days to file an application per rule 2.551(b) to have those documents remain under seal. The motion or application to have any documents to remain under seal should be heard at least two weeks before the underlying motion. If the court denies the request to seal, the moving party has 10 days to withdraw the documents. If withdrawn, they are not part of the record; if not, they become public and considered by the court.

Discovery motions and supporting documents may be filed under seal without court order, exempt from standard sealing procedures.

Source text: these foregoing procedures do not apply to discovery motions, as any such pleadings or supporting documents may always be filed under seal, without court order. (See Cal. Rules of Court, rule 2.550(a)(2).)

Strict compliance with CRC rule 2.551 et seq. is required for all sealed documents.

Source text: Sealed documents. Strict compliance with CRC, rule 2.551 et. seq. is required.

Conditionally sealed documents must be emailed unredacted to Dept E for review.

Source text: Documents Filed Under Seal. Documents submitted conditionally under seal are to be emailed unredacted directly to Department E’s email address for review. Please see the Court’s email address above.

Motion to seal must be e-filed and comply with CRC 2.550-2.551.

Source text: Application or Motion. The actual application or motion to submit documents under seal must be electronically filed and comply with Cal. Rules of Court (“CRC”), Rules 2.550-2.551.

Parties must comply with Cal. Rules of Court 2.550/2.551 for sealing; court requires legal justification, specific findings, and narrow tailoring.

Source text: All parties must comply with California Rules of Court 2.550 and 2.551. The court cannot seal documents filed in Court merely because the parties agree they should be sealed. The court’s obligation to conduct all proceedings with transparency means that the court must make specific findings as to every must be persuaded that there is a legal justification for sealing. The sealing order must be narrowly tailored to seal only the specific information that is protected by the right to privacy, trade secrets law, or other applicable protections.

Confidential discovery motion documents follow special sealing: redact public version, submit unredacted in sealed envelope behind caption, file redacted version publicly.

Source text: Confidential documents submitted in connection with discovery motions are not governed by Rules 2.550 and 2.551. To file confidential material in connection with a discovery motion, the parties should (a) narrowly identify and redact the confidential information from the confidential document; (b) submit an unredacted version in a sealed envelope stapled behind the caption page of the document (making sure that the caption page states that the submission is for a discovery motion); and (c) file a redacted version of the document (making it available to the public in the court file).

Counsel must comply with CRC 2.550 and 2.551 for sealing documents; non-compliance may lead to rejection and delays.

Source text: Counsel must familiarize themselves with the requirements for sealing documents pursuant to CRC 2.550 and 2.551. Failure to comply with the CRC may result in rejection of the submission and delay any hearing related to the sealed documents.

For motions to seal, moving party must file, serve, and email MS-Word editable proposed sealing order 15 days before hearing, and lodge red-lined documents 3 days after filing the motion.

Source text: In conjunction with setting a hearing on a motion to seal, the moving party must file, serve, and email to Department 74’s email service account (smcdept77@lacourt.org) a proposed sealing order that is MS-Word editable at least 15 days before the hearing on the motion to seal. The moving party must also lodge with Department 74 no later than three days after filing the motion to seal the documents subject to the proposed sealing order in which the proposed redactions are red-lined.

Documents ordered sealed must be e-filed, with party responsible for accurate designation.

Source text: In cases where a judicial officer orders that documents be filed under seal, those documents must be filed electronically (unless exempted under the operative General Order.) The burden of accurately designating the documents sealed at the time of electronic submission is the submitting party’s responsibility;

Submitting parties must redact confidential information to prevent public disclosure.

Source text: It is the submitting party’s responsibility to redact confidential information so that confidential information shall not be publicly disclosed.

Strict compliance with CRC rule 2.551 et seq. required for sealed documents.

Source text: Sealed documents. Strict compliance with CRC. rule 2.551 et. seq. is required.

Materials filed under seal must strictly comply with CRC Rule 2.551 et seq.

Source text: If counsel wishes to submit any materials in support of a motion under seal, counsel must strictly comply with California Rules of Court Rule 2.551 et. seq.

Conditionally sealed documents must be emailed unredacted to Dept M; motions to seal must be e-filed per CRC 2.550-2.551.

Source text: Documents submitted conditionally under seal are to be emailed unredacted directly to Department M's email address for review. Please contact Dept M for the Court's email address. The actual application or motion to submit documents under seal must be electronically filed and comply Cal. Rules of Court ("CRC"), Rules 2.550-2.551.

Sealed filings must comply with CA Rules of Court 2.550 and 2.551, with motion to seal and narrowly tailored proposed order required.

Source text: Filings and Lodgments Under Seal: All parties must strictly comply with Rules of Court, Rules 2.550 and 2.551 when submitting documents to be filed under seal. Because there is a public right of access to court records, the Court must make specific findings as to each part of every document that a party wishes to file under seal. Parties should therefore use the sealing process only when absolutely necessary. The proposed order accompanying the motion to seal must be narrowly tailored to seal only the specific information that is protected by the right to privacy, trade secrets law, or other applicable principles.