Fergus County District Court, Montana Sealing & Redaction Procedures

CRITICAL

Presentence Investigation Reports, Psychological Reports, and Sensitive Case Forms must be filed under seal.

The followings items must be filed under seal: (i) Presentence Investigation Reports, (ii) Psychological Reports, and (iii) Sensitive Case Forms.

CRITICAL

Unless the Court grants leave or the law provides otherwise, sealed documents may be accessed only by the parties, counsel of record, and court staff.

Absent leave of the Court, documents that are sealed may only be accessed by the parties, counsel of record, and court staff, unless otherwise provided for by law.

CRITICAL

The filer must review each exhibit and redact sensitive, confidential, or private information under Rule 5.2 or seek a court order to seal the exhibit.

(ii) The filer must review each exhibit and redact any sensitive, confidential, or private information in accordance with Rule 5.2, M. R. Civ. P., or seek an order from the Court to seal the exhibit.

CRITICAL

The sensitive case form must be filed under seal and may be accessed only by the Court, counsel, and the parties.

The sensitive case form will be filed under seal and only accessible by the Court, counsel, and the parties.

WARNING

Counsel and self-represented litigants are encouraged to redact full birth dates, minors’ full names, Social Security numbers, and full financial account information, using minors’ initials and birth year unless the information is specifically necessary in the record.

Any document which includes an individual’s full date of birth, minor child’s full name, social security number, or financial information such as a full checking account number, (i) Counsel and pro se litigants are encouraged to redact such information, utilize the initials of minor child’s names, and the year of birth unless specifically necessary to be in the record.

WARNING

The Court may deny a request to seal sensitive settlement information when disclosure is in the public interest.

The Court reserves the right to deny a request to seal sensitive information as part of a settlement, if disclosure of the information is in the public interest.