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

Filing parties must redact social security numbers and other personal identifying information before filing, and the Clerk will not review filings to verify that the information was removed.

Social security numbers and other personal identifying information shall be redacted from documents before the documents are filed with the court in accordance with Sup.R. 45(D). The responsibility for redacting personal identifying information rests solely with the parties who file the documents. The Clerk will not review the documents to confirm that personal identifying information has been excluded.

Redacted or omitted personal identifying information must be supplied to the court on a separate form identifying the information and its location.

If personal identifying information is redacted or omitted from a document, the information shall be provided to the court on a separate form that indicates what information has been redacted or omitted, and provides the location of the redacted or omitted information.

The Clerk will not accept a document for filing under seal unless a party files a sealing motion and the Assigned Judge approves it.

The Clerk shall not accept any document to be filed under seal unless a party has filed a motion which has been approved by the Assigned Judge.

Documents submitted for in camera review must be sent directly to the Assigned Judge and not filed with the Clerk unless the judge directs filing under the “Judge Access Only” procedures in Rule 2.06.

Unless otherwise ordered by the Assigned Judge, documents submitted for in camera review shall be submitted directly to the Assigned Judge and shall not be filed with the Clerk. If the Assigned Judge orders that documents submitted for in camera review be filed with the Clerk, the filer shall follow the procedures for “Judge Access Only” filings as set forth in Rule 2.06.

Under “Judge Access Only,” document access is limited to the Assigned Judge, while only the docket remains visible through PRO and the e-File System.

“Judge Access Only” means that access to documents will be limited to the Assigned Judge. Only the docket will be available through PRO and the e-File System.

For a “Judge Access Only” filing, the Clerk must stamp the sealed envelope, docket the filing as sealed with judge-only access, and retain the envelope in the Clerk’s office.

The Clerk shall file stamp the face of the envelope, enter on the docket that the documents were filed under seal with “Judge Access Only,” and retain the envelope in the Clerk’s office.

Before filing a written deposition transcript, the filing party must omit or redact all personal identifying information defined under Sup.R. 44(H).

Pursuant to Rule 2.05, the filing party shall omit or redact all personal identifying information as defined under Sup.R. 44(H) from a written deposition transcript prior to filing.

Social security numbers and other personal identifying information must be redacted from documents before filing with the court.

Social security numbers and other personal identifying information shall be redacted from documents before the documents are filed with the court in accordance with Sup.R. 45(D).

When personal identifying information is redacted or omitted, the filer must provide it to the court on a separate form identifying the information and its location.

If personal identifying information is redacted or omitted from a document, the information shall be provided to the court on a separate form that indicates what information has been redacted or omitted, and provides the location of the redacted or omitted information.

The Clerk will not accept a document for filing under seal unless a party has filed and obtained approval of a motion from the Assigned Judge.

The Clerk shall not accept any document to be filed under seal unless a party has filed a motion which has been approved by the Assigned Judge.

Documents designated for no remote public access must be filed electronically under Rule 2.01.

(1) “No Remote Access by Public” means the documents shall be e-Filed pursuant to Rule 2.01.

Documents designated for neither remote nor direct public access must be filed electronically under Rule 2.01.

(2) “No Remote or Direct Access by Public” means the documents shall be e-Filed pursuant to Rule 2.01.

Documents designated for judge access only must be filed with the Clerk in a sealed envelope using the specified procedure.

(3) “Judge Access Only” means the documents shall be filed as set forth below:

A party may move for leave to redact personal identifying information that was omitted or unredacted in a previously filed document.

A party may file a motion for leave to redact a previously filed document if personal identifying information was not omitted or redacted when the document was initially filed.

Under “No Remote Access by Public,” remote access is limited to court personnel, counsel of record, and registered pro se users, while everyone else must obtain documents from the Clerk’s office during regular business hours.

“No Remote Access by Public” means that access to documents via the Clerk’s Public Records Online system (“PRO”) and the e-File System will be limited to Judges, court staff, Clerk staff, counsel of record, and pro se parties who are registered users of the e-File System. For all other persons, access to documents will be available only through the Clerk’s office, during regular business hours;

Under “No Remote or Direct Access by Public,” remote access is limited to court personnel, counsel of record, and registered pro se users; unregistered pro se parties must use the Clerk’s office during business hours, and all other persons have no document access.

“No Remote or Direct Access by Public” means that access to documents via PRO and the e-File System will be limited to Judges, court staff, Clerk staff, counsel of record, and pro se parties who are registered users of the e-File System. For pro se parties who are not registered users of the e-File System, access to documents will be available only through the Clerk’s office, during regular business hours. For all other persons, there will be no access to documents available through the Clerk’s office; and

The sealing rule does not limit the court’s authority to restrict public document access under Sup.R. 45.

This Rule shall not be construed to limit the means by which the court may restrict public access to documents pursuant to Sup.R. 45.