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

CRITICAL

The filing party must redact personal identifiers from pleadings before presenting them to the Clerk.

All pleadings containing personal identifiers such as social security numbers, dates of birth and account numbers shall be redacted by the filing party prior to presentment to the Clerk.

CRITICAL

When a pleading requires or contains the specified personal and private information, the filing party must submit that information on the Personal Identifiers form.

Upon the filing of any pleading which requires or contains personal and private information as outlined in Rule 45 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio and Local Administrative Order entitled In re: Protection of Personal and Private Information in Court Records, the filing party shall submit the personal and private information on the Personal Identifiers form.

CRITICAL

The Personal Identifiers form is a non-public record.

The PIF shall be deemed a non-public record.

CRITICAL

Social security numbers and other information required to be excluded from public records must be redacted under the applicable court rules.

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.

CRITICAL

After an order to seal a case, the case must be marked sealed in the case management system and removed from public access.

Upon an order to seal a case, the case shall be marked sealed in the case management system and removed from public access.

CRITICAL

The Clerk must secure the physical file in a sealed envelope and store it in a locked location.

Clerk of Courts staff shall secure the physical file in a sealed envelope and store it in a locked location.

CRITICAL

Upon an expungement order, the case must be marked sealed in the case management system and removed from public access.

- Upon an expungement order, the case shall be marked sealed in the case management system and removed from public access.

CRITICAL

Parties must omit specified personal identifiers from case documents and submit the omitted information on a separate form, which may be the court’s form or a form of their own.

Upon the filing or submission of a case document, a party shall omit personal identifiers from the document. (A) “Personal Identifiers” means social security numbers, except for the last four digits; financial account numbers, including but not limited to debit card, charge card and credit card numbers; and employer/employee identification numbers. (B) When personal identifiers are omitted from a case document submitted to the court, the party shall submit or file that information on a separate form. The parties may use a form provided by the court or a form of their own. See Appendix C for court form.

CRITICAL

A Statement of Expert Evaluation (SPF17.1) must be maintained as a confidential record.

(C) A Statement of Expert Evaluation (SPF17.1) shall be maintained as a confidential record.

CRITICAL

When disclosure of identifying information would jeopardize health, safety, or liberty, the address should be kept confidential and placed under seal upon request.

1. ☐ I am requesting the court to not disclose my current address or that of the children. My address is confidential pursuant to R.C. 3127.23(D) and should be placed under seal in that the health, safety, or liberty of myself and/or the child(ren) would be jeopardized by the disclosure of the identifying information.

WARNING

After trial, a guardian ad litem may recommend restricting access to all or part of a report to protect privacy, confidentiality, or safety.

A guardian ad litem may recommend that the court restrict access to the report or a portion of the report, after trial, to preserve the privacy, confidentiality, or safety of the parties or the person for whom the guardian ad litem was appointed in accordance with Rule 45 of the Rules of Superintendence.

WARNING

Information received to assist with a decision under Section 2953.25 retains its public or non-public status as provided by law.

Records or information received by a court to assist the court with making its decision under Section 2953.25 of the Revised Code, including information included on a petition, shall retain their character as public or non-public records, as otherwise provided in law.