Huron County Court of Common Pleas, Ohio Sealing & Redaction Procedures

CRITICAL

Documents containing sensitive personal information in domestic relations cases must be maintained in a family file separate from the public case file.

Documents filed in any domestic relations case containing sensitive personal information shall be kept in a “family file,” separate from the public case file otherwise maintained by the Clerk of Courts.

CRITICAL

The genetic-testing relationship report must be filed under seal, with the filing noted on the docket.

The Huron County CSEA, the approved qualified examiner, or the party receiving the test results shall forward a copy of the genetic testing relationship report to the Clerk of Courts, who shall file the report under seal and note the filing thereof on the docket.

CRITICAL

The report and its contents must not be shared with the minor children who are the subject of the Court action.

The Custody Evaluator’s report and information contained therein shall not be shared with the minor child(ren) who are the subject of a Court action.

CRITICAL

The Order of Appointment shall notify the Custody Evaluator that the report shall be remitted to the Court, only. The Custody Evaluator shall not provide a copy of the report to counsel, the Guardian ad Litem, or the parties.

The Order of Appointment shall notify the Custody Evaluator that the report shall be remitted to the Court, only. The Custody Evaluator shall not provide a copy of the report to counsel, the Guardian ad Litem, or the parties.

CRITICAL

The filing party must redact social security numbers and other individual personal identifiers from documents filed in the public case file.

If there are documents which are to be filed in the public case file containing social security numbers or any other individual personal identifiers, the same shall be redacted by the filing party on those documents in the public case file.

CRITICAL

A party may copy the report but may not disseminate it by any means unless the Court orders otherwise.

A party may copy a Custody Evaluator’s report but may not disseminate the report by any means, unless otherwise ordered.

CRITICAL

For good cause, the Court may order confidential documents filed under seal by the Clerk, and they may not be accessed without the Court’s permission.

Notwithstanding the provisions of this rule, the Court, for good cause, may order certain confidential documents to be filed under seal by the Clerk. Said documents would not be accessible to any person without permission of the Court.

CRITICAL

The Custody Evaluator’s report is not available for public access under Sup.R. 44 through 47.

The Custody Evaluator’s report shall not be available for public access pursuant to Sup.R. 44 through 47.

CRITICAL

Others may inspect family files only upon court motion and good cause; authorized viewers may take notes but may not copy, distribute, show, or remove documents, and must immediately return them after review.

Inspection of family files may be permitted by others upon motion to the Court and for good cause shown. A prescribed form will be made available for that purpose. Authorized viewers may take notes while reviewing confidential reports and documents, but they are strictly prohibited from copying those documents, distributing them or showing them to unauthorized individuals, or from removing them from the Courthouse. Upon completing a review of the family file, these documents are to be returned immediately to the Court or to the designated Deputy Clerk.

CRITICAL

Expunged and sealed records must be kept by the Clerk of Courts in a confidential file and may be released only pursuant to court order or within the parameters of RC 2953.34.

3. Process for securing sealed records - Expunged and sealed records shall be maintained by the Clerk of Courts in a confidential file and only released pursuant to court order or within the parameters of RC 2953.34.

CRITICAL

Any transcript prepared of an in-camera interview must be filed under seal with the Clerk.

In the event that a transcript is prepared of an in-camera interveiw, the transcript shall be filed under seal with the Clerk.

CRITICAL

Any home-study or psychological-evaluation report must be filed under seal, with the filing noted on the docket.

The persons or entity appointed to conduct the home study or psychological evaluation shall forward a copy of any report to the Clerk of Courts, who shall file the report under seal and note the filing thereof on the docket.

WARNING

The Court may order other documents containing sensitive personal information maintained in the family file on a party’s motion or its own motion, for good cause shown.

Upon motion of any party or upon the Court’s own motion, and, for good cause shown, other documents containing sensitive personal information may be ordered to be maintained in the family file.

WARNING

The parties, their attorneys, and a Guardian ad litem may inspect the family file upon filing a request with the Clerk.

Contents of the family file may be inspected by the parties, an attorney for the parties or a Guardian ad litem upon request filed with the Clerk.

WARNING

The Juvenile and Probate Division’s security plan must remain confidential and outside the public record.

The plan shall be maintained as confidential and not a matter of public record.

WARNING

Court security plans and the associated manuals adopted as part of them must not be made available to the public.

a court security plan, including any security policy and procedures manual, emergency preparedness manual, and continuity of operations manual adopted as part of the court security plan, shall not be available for public access.