Defiance County Court of Common Pleas, General Division Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Only the listed individuals may inspect and review non-public-file contents in performing their duties or as the Court directs.

F. Contents of the non-public file may be inspected and reviewed by the following individuals in the performance of their duties or as the Court may direct: 1. Parties; 2. A party's attorney of record; 3. County's CSEA counsel; 4. Mediators appointed to a case; 5. Court personnel; 6. Guardians Ad Litem appointed to a case; 7. Home investigators appointed to a case; 8. Parenting coordinators appointed to a case.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Documents containing sensitive personal information must be maintained by the Clerk in a separate non-public file.

A. Documents filed in any case containing sensitive personal information shall be kept in a separate non-public file to be maintained by the Clerk of Courts in such manner and in such location as the Clerk deems appropriate.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

The non-public file must contain the specifically listed filings and any other items the Court directs.

B. The non-public file shall contain the following items: 1. The parties' DR-1, DR-2 and DR-3 affidavits and attachments thereto; 2. Tax returns; 3. Reports of psychological or custody evaluations; 4. Medical reports; 5. Reports of supervised parenting time or supervised parenting time exchanges; 6. Reports of a home study evaluator or Guardian ad Litem; 7. Reports of medical or drug testing; 8. Copy of Application for Child Support Services (IV-D); 9. Letters to the Court from the parties, the child(ren) and/or other individuals; 10. Victim's Rights Form; 11. Other items as directed by the Court.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

The Court may order other sensitive documents into the non-public file, and social security numbers or other identifying information must be redacted from public copies.

C. Upon motion of any party or upon the Court's own motion, other documents containing sensitive personal information may be ordered to be kept in the non-public file. If there are documents which are to be filed in the "public file" containing social security numbers or any other individual identifying information, the same shall be redacted on those documents in the "public file."

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

A child's in camera interview recording or transcript must be kept separately and released only with Court approval or, for a transcript, after objections are filed or an appeal is taken.

E. In the event that the Court conducts an in camera interview of any child, upon request of any party or in its own discretion, the Court shall hold said recording or transcript of the recording in a separate file. The recording shall not be made available to either party or counsel without Court approval. A transcript of said recording shall only be made available to counsel or the parties after the filing of Objections to a Magistrate's Decision to the Court or an appeal to the Court of Appeals.

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Access to a filed Victim's Rights Form is limited as provided in Rule 7.01.

In the event a Victim's Rights form has been filed, access shall be limited as set forth in Rule 7.01.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026CRITICAL

Documents filed in the public file must be redacted when they contain social security numbers or other individually identifying information.

If there are documents which are to be filed in the "public file" containing social security numbers or any other individual identifying information, the same shall be redacted on those documents in the "public file."

Checked and corrected to match the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

The Clerk must place a Notice of Filing in the public file reflecting the non-public document and its filing date.

D. The "public file" shall contain, in place of the document contained in the non-public file, a Notice of Filing prepared by the Clerk of Courts reflecting the filing of the document maintained in the non-public file and the date thereof (e.g., "Notice is hereby given that on 3-8 ===== PAGE 18 ===== [date of filing] a [name of document] was filed by [person or party filing document], which shall be maintained in the Non-public File").

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

When a filing refers to trade secrets or privileged communications, redacted documents may be filed publicly and served on appeared parties, but a complete unredacted document must be submitted to the court for in camera review.

If a receiver's report, motion, fee application, or other filing refers to trade secrets (such as a plan for operating an ongoing business, proposed sale prices, customer information, personnel matters, or other non-public information) or would necessarily reference attorney-client or work product communications, then redacted documents may be filed in the public record and served upon all parties that have appeared. When that occurs, a complete un-redacted document shall be submitted to the court for in camera review.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

When the Court deems advisable, potential-juror lists may identify jurors only by number and other identifying data may be withheld and sealed; counsel may not copy Juror Questionnaires and must return them after jury selection.

A. To preserve the privacy and confidentiality of prospective jurors, when deemed advisable by the Court, lists of potential jurors submitted to counsel may be identified only by number, and other identifying data, i.e. telephone numbers, addresses, etc., may be withheld and sealed. Counsel shall make no copies of Juror Questionnaires and shall return said questionnaires to the Court upon completion of jury selection.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

The Court may order counsel not to disclose prospective-juror identifying data or Juror Questionnaire information to litigants, defendants, or others outside counsel's professional office.

B. The Court may order that identifying data of prospective jurors and information contained on Juror Questionnaires provided counsel shall not be disclosed by counsel to litigants, defendants, or others not directly associated with counsel's professional office.

Checked against the court's document on Oct 5, 2026WARNING

A Victim's Rights Form must be retained by the Clerk of Courts as a non-public document.

2. A Victim's Rights Form shall be retained by the Clerk of Courts as a non-public document.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.CRITICAL?

F. All social security numbers and other information that must be excluded from public record shall be redacted in accordance with the rules of this court and the Rules of Superintendence. Upon filing of a Petition, the Clerk shall file the original under seal for use by the Court, and prepare a redacted copy for inclusion in the portion of the case file accessible to the public.

Summary: Social security numbers and other nonpublic information must be redacted; the original petition is filed under seal and a redacted copy is placed in the public case file.

Not confirmed. Read the court's wording below.WARNING?

The written report shall not be available for public access pursuant to Sup.R. 44 through 47. The report and any attachments shall be placed in the family file and may be viewed by counsel and/or self-represented parties upon request.

Summary: The written custody evaluation report and its attachments must be placed in the family file rather than the public file and may be viewed by counsel or self-represented parties upon request.