18th Judicial Circuit Court, DuPage County Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Parties with legal basis to file under seal without prior order must e-file a motion for leave to seal, include standards explanation, and not attach the document to the motion.

A party who has a legal basis for filing a document under seal without prior court order must electronically file a motion for leave to file under seal. The motion must include an explanation of how the document meets the legal standards for filing sealed documents. The document in question may not be attached to the motion as an attachment.

Parties must redact SSNs, driver's license numbers, minor children's full names, full dates of birth, and financial account numbers in e-filed documents, using only last 4 digits, initials, or year as required.

In addition to the materials referenced in Supreme Court Rules 15 and 138, parties and their counsel shall refrain from including, or shall redact where inclusion is necessary, the following personal identifies from all documents electronically filed with the court, including exhibits, thereto, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. (a) Social Security Number and Driver’s License Number. If an individual’s social security number or driver’s license number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used. (b) Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used; however, if the minor is a named party to the action, the full name of the minor shall be used, absent leave of Court. (c) Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included in a document, only the year shall be used. (d) Financial Account Numbers and Debit/Credit Card Numbers. If financial account or Debit/Credit Card numbers are relevant, only the last four digits of these numbers shall be used.

A party must e-file a motion for leave to file under seal when filing a sealed document without a prior order.

A party who has a legal basis for filing a document under seal without prior court order must dismissingly file a motion for leave to file of the sealed document.

The original pre-sentence or pre-plea report must be submitted to the Clerk of the Circuit Court in a sealed envelope marked with the report type, case number, and title.

(1) The original, in a sealed envelope, to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, marked “Pre-Sentence Report” or “Pre-Plea Report” and indicating the case number and title.

Probation and Court Services case records are not public records; their contents may only be divulged upon a court order or grand jury subpoena.

A Court Order or Grand Jury subpoena is Required to Divulge the Contents of the Case Records of the Department of Probation and Court Services. The Department of Probation and Court Services must strictly comply with the following paragraph of the Probation and Probation Officers Act: “The duties of probation officers shall be: *** To preserve complete and accurate records…, which records shall be open to inspection by any judge or by any probation officer pursuant to order of court, but shall not be a public record, and its contents shall not be divulged otherwise than as above provided, except upon order of court.” [730 ILCS 110/12, par. (4)]

If filing under seal without a prior court order, a party must e-file a motion for leave including a legal explanation, and may not attach the sealed document to the motion.

A party who has a legal basis for filing a document under seal without prior court order must electronically file a motion for leave to file under seal. On the motion, they must include an explanation of how the document meets the legal standards for filing sealed documents. The document in question may not be attached to the motion as an attachment.

Probation and Court Services case records are confidential and non-public; their contents may only be divulged upon a court order or grand jury subpoena, subject to specified statutory exceptions.

A Court Order or Grand Jury subpoena is Required to Divulge the Contents of the Case Records of the Department of Probation and Court Services. The Department of Probation and Court Services must strictly comply with the following paragraph of the Probation and Probation Officers Act: ... which records shall be open to inspection by any judge or by any probation officer pursuant to order of court, but shall not be a public record, and its contents shall not be divulged otherwise than as above provided, except upon order of court.

A party filing under seal without a prior court order must e-file a motion for leave to file under seal, including an explanation of the legal standards; the document may not be attached to the motion.

A party who has a legal basis for filing a document under seal without prior court order must electronically file a motion for leave to file under seal. The motion must include an explanation of how the document meets the legal standards for filing sealed documents. The document in question may not be attached to the motion as an attachment.

Parties must redact personal identifiers from all e-filed documents: SSN/driver's license (last 4 digits), minor children's names (initials), dates of birth (year only), and financial/credit card numbers (last 4 digits).

of the Court their counsel shall refrain from including, or shall redact where inclusion is necessary, the following personal identifies from all documents electronically filed with the court, including exhibits, thereto, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. (a) Social Security Number and Driver’s License Number. If an individual’s social security number or driver’s license number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used. (b) Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used; however, if the minor is a named party to the action, the full name of the minor shall be used, absent leave of Court. (c) Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included in a document, only the year shall be used. (d) Financial Account Numbers and Debit/Credit Card Numbers. If financial account or Debit/Credit Card numbers are relevant, only the last four digits of these numbers shall be

All filed documents must be redacted to protect privacy, except civil writs of attachment.

Because all documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk are available to the public, pleadings, attachments to pleadings, discovery, orders, exhibits or other documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk, with the exception of civil writs of attachment, shall be redacted to protect the privacy rights of everyone concerned.

Personal identifiers must be redacted: social security numbers (last four digits), minor children names (initials, dates of birth (year only, financial account numbers (last four digits,, unless ordered otherwise.

It is the responsibility of counsel and the parties to be sure that all filed documents comply with these Rules. They shall refrain from including, or shall redact where inclusion is necessary, the following personal identifiers, from all pleadings, discovery, orders, exhibits, or other documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk, with the exception of civil writs of attachment, unless ordered otherwise by the Court: 38 | P a g e ===== PAGE 40 ===== Eighteenth Judicial Circuit | Local Court Rules II. Civil Proceedings (1) Social Security Number. If an individual’s social security number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used. (2) Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used. (3) Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included, only the year shall be used. (4) Financial Account Numbers. If

The case records of the Department of Probation and Court Services are confidential and not public records; their contents may be divulged only by order of court or grand jury subpoena.

A Court Order or Grand Jury subpoena is Required to Divulge the Contents of the Case Records of the Department of Probation and Court Services. The Department of Probation and Court Services must strictly comply with the following paragraph of the Probation and Probation Officers Act: ... which records shall be open to inspection by any judge or by any probation officer pursuant to order of court, but shall not be a public record, and its contents shall not be divulged otherwise than as above provided, except upon order of court.

If a Social Security Number appears in a document, only the last four digits may be included.

Social Security Number. If an individual’s social security number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used.

All filed court documents must be redacted to protect privacy rights, except civil writs of attachment.

documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk are available to the public, pleadings, attachments to pleadings, discovery, orders, exhibits or other documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk, with the exception of civil writs of attachment, shall be redacted to protect the privacy rights of everyone concerned.

If a minor child must be mentioned, only the child's initials may be used.

Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used.

If a date of birth must be included, only the year may be used.

Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included, only the year shall be used.

If financial account numbers are relevant, only the last four digits may be used.

Financial Account Numbers. If financial account numbers are relevant, only the last four digits of these numbers shall be used.

A party filing under seal without prior court order must electronically file a motion for leave to seal, including an explanation of the legal basis, and must not attach the document to the motion.

A party who has a legal basis for filing a document under seal without prior court order must electronically file a motion for leave to file under seal. The motion must include an explanation of how the document meets the legal standards for filing sealed documents. The document in question may not be attached to the motion as an attachment.

Parties must redact personal identifiers (SSN, driver's license, minor children's names, DOB, financial account numbers) from all electronic filings, using only last four digits or initials as specified, unless otherwise ordered.

In addition to the materials referenced in Supreme Court Rules 15 and 138, parties and their counsel shall refrain from including, or shall redact where inclusion is necessary, the following personal identifiers from all documents electronically filed with the court, including exhibits, thereto, unless otherwise ordered by the Court. (a) Social Security Number and Driver’s License Number. If an individual’s social security number or driver’s license number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used. (b) Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used; however, if the minor is a named party to the action, the full name of the minor shall be used, absent leave of Court. (c) Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included in a document, only the year shall be used. (d) Financial Account Numbers and Debit/Credit Card Numbers. If financial account or Debit/Credit Card numbers are relevant, only the last four digits of these numbers shall be used.

All filed documents, except civil writs of attachment, must be redacted to protect privacy; specific personal identifiers must be redacted to partial forms (last four digits, initials, year).

Because all documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk are available to the public, pleadings, attachments to pleadings, discovery, orders, exhibits or other documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk, with the exception of civil writs of attachment, shall be redacted to protect the privacy rights of everyone concerned. (b) It is the responsibility of counsel and the parties to be sure that all filed documents comply with these Rules. They shall refrain from including, or shall redact where inclusion is necessary, the following personal identifiers, from all pleadings, discovery, orders, exhibits, or other documents filed with the Circuit Court Clerk, with the exception of civil writs of attachment, unless ordered otherwise by the Court: (1) Social Security Number. If an individual’s social security number must be included in a document, only the last four digits of the number shall be used. (2) Names of Minor Children. If the involvement of a minor child must be mentioned, only the initials of that child’s name shall be used. (3) Dates of Birth. If an individual’s date of birth must be included, only the year shall be used. (4) Financial Account Numbers. If financial account numbers are relevant, only the last four digits of these numbers shall be

Original eavesdropping applications and authorization or denial orders are retained by the Court, delivered to the Clerk, and impounded subject to further court order.

All original applications and orders of authorization for the use of eavesdropping devices, or denial orders, shall be retained by the Court and delivered to the Clerk of the Court who shall take custody thereof, assign a file number and impound the file subject to further order of the Court.

Without a court order, the Department may divulge its records for: proving probation violations to the State's Attorney, fulfilling court order conditions, duty-to-warn threats, DCFS mandated reporting, sharing criminal conduct information with appropriate authorities, and sharing juvenile demographic data with specified police agencies.

Exceptions to the Probation and Probation Officers Act. The Department of Probation and Court Services shall divulge the contents of its records in the following circumstances, without court order: (1) Violations of Probation, Conditional Discharge, or other Orders of the Court. The Department of Probation and Court Services is authorized to divulge the contents of its records that support an allegation of a violation of a court order to the Office of the State’s Attorney for the exclusive purpose of proving the violation. (2) Fulfillment of Specific Conditions of Court Orders. The Department may divulge the contents of its records to anyone authorized by the Department to be involved in the fulfillment of the conditions of a court order. (3) Duty to Warn. The Department of Probation and Court Services is required to divulge the contents of its record when there is a “duty to warn.” The duty is established when an individual makes a “specific” threat to harm or kill a “specific” identifiable victim. (4) Mandated Reporter Requirements. The Department may share contents of its records with the DCFS hotline when there is … “reasonable cause to believe a child known to them in their professional or official capacity may be an abused child or a neglected child.” [325 ILCS 5/4] (5) Sharing Information with Other Appropriate Authorities About Criminal Conduct. The Department may share the contents of its records with appropriate authorities when the Department has reliable information of criminal conduct. (6) Sharing Information with Police Departments. The Department may share demographic information about juvenile offenders and court results with three different police agencies: (i) the arresting department, (ii) the department where the minor lives, and, if applicable, (iii) the police officer where the offender attends school.

The original pre-plea or pre-sentence report must be delivered to the Clerk in a sealed envelope marked with the report type, case number, and title.

(1) The original, in a sealed envelope, to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, marked “Pre-Sentence Report” or “Pre-Plea Report” and indicating the case number and title.

The Clerk is authorized to open and file all sealed depositions returned to the Court, unless the Court orders otherwise in a particular case.

The Clerk of the Court is hereby authorized to open and file all sealed depositions that are hereafter returned to the Court, unless the Court by order entered in the particular case shall otherwise direct.

Filing parties and counsel must ensure electronically filed documents do not disclose impounded, sealed, or private information defined in Supreme Court Rules 15 and 138.

It is the responsibility of the filing party or counsel to ensure that documents filed electronically do not disclose previously or statutorily impounded or sealed information or private information defined in Supreme Court Rules 15 and 138.

Persons must exercise caution when filing documents containing other identifying numbers, medical records, employment history, individual financial information, or proprietary/trade secret information.

In addition to the above provisions, persons shall exercise caution when filing documents that contain the following: (1) Other identifying numbers, such as drivers’ license numbers (2) Medical records, such as diagnosis and treatment records (3) Employment history information (4) Individual financial information (5) Proprietary or trade secret information

The original pre-sentence or pre-plea report is filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court in a sealed envelope marked with the report type and the case number and title.

original, in a sealed envelope, to the Clerk of the Circuit Court, marked “Pre- Sentence Report” or “Pre-Plea Report” and indicating the case number and title.

The Department may divulge probation and conditional discharge record contents without a court order in enumerated circumstances: supporting allegations of court-order violations, fulfilling conditions of court orders, duty to warn of specific threats, mandated reporter obligations to the DCFS hotline, sharing reliable criminal-conduct information with appropriate authorities, and sharing juvenile demographic information and court results with specified police agencies.

Exceptions to the Probation and Probation Officers Act. The Department of Probation and Court Services shall divulge the contents of its records in the following circumstances, without court order:

The Department may share probation records with law enforcement when the information is already public record or is based on visual public observation by probation officers or court service personnel.

The Department of Probation and Court Services may divulge records with law enforcement if: (1) The information is already of public record. (2) The information is based on visual public observation of the probation officer and court service personnel.

Persons must exercise caution when filing documents containing other identifying numbers, medical records, employment history, individual financial information, or proprietary/trade secret information.

In addition to the above provisions, persons shall exercise caution when filing documents that contain the following: (1) Other identifying numbers, such as drivers’ license numbers (2) Medical records, such as diagnosis and treatment records (3) Employment history information (4) Individual financial information (5) Proprietary or trade secret information

Original eavesdropping device applications and authorization or denial orders are retained, filed, and impounded with the Clerk subject to further order of the Court.

All original applications and orders of authorization for the use of eavesdropping devices, or denial orders, shall be retained by the Court and delivered to the Clerk of the Court who shall take custody thereof, assign a file number and impound the file subject to further order of the Court.

Caution is advised when filing documents containing other sensitive information like driver's license numbers, medical records, employment history, financial info, and trade secrets.

In addition to the above provisions, persons shall exercise caution when filing documents that contain the following: (1) Other identifying numbers, such as drivers’ license numbers (2) Medical records, such as diagnosis and treatment records (3) Employment history information (4) Individual financial information (5) Proprietary or trade secret information

A court order or grand jury subpoena is required to divulge Probation and Court Services case records, which are not public records.

or Grand Jury subpoena is Required to Divulge the Contents of the Case Records of the Department of Probation and Court Services. The Department of Probation and Court Services must strictly comply with the following paragraph of the Probation and Probation Officers Act: “The duties of probation officers shall be: *** To preserve complete and accurate records…, which records shall be open to inspection by any judge or by any probation officer pursuant to order of court, but shall not be a public record, and its contents shall not be divulged otherwise than as above provided, except upon

The Department may divulge records to law enforcement without a court order when the information is already part of the public record or based on visual public observation by probation or court service personnel.

(c) Sharing with Law Enforcement Information that does not Conflict with the Law. The Department of Probation and Court Services may divulge records with law enforcement if: (1) The information is already of public record. (2) The information is based on visual public observation of the probation officer and court service personnel.

The Clerk is authorized to open and file sealed depositions returned to the Court unless the Court orders otherwise in a particular case.

The Clerk of the Court is hereby authorized to open and file all sealed depositions that are hereafter returned to the Court, unless the Court by order entered in the particular case shall otherwise direct.

The Clerk is authorized to open and file all sealed depositions returned to the Court unless the Court orders otherwise in a particular case.

The Clerk of the Court is hereby authorized to open and file all sealed depositions that are hereafter returned to the Court, unless the Court by order entered in the particular case shall otherwise direct.

Probation records may be disclosed without a court order to support violation-of-court-order allegations (to the State's Attorney) and to fulfill specific conditions of court orders.

(b) Exceptions to the Probation and Probation Officers Act. The Department of Probation and Court Services shall divulge the contents of its records in the following circumstances, without court order: (1) Violations of Probation, Conditional Discharge, or other Orders of the Court. The Department of Probation and Court Services is authorized to divulge the contents of its records that support an allegation of a violation of a court order to the Office of the State's Attorney for the exclusive purpose of proving the violation. (2) Fulfillment of Specific Conditions of Court Orders. The Department may divulge the contents of its records to anyone authorized by the Department to be involved in the fulfillment of the conditions of a court order.