Court of Common Pleas of Washington County, Pennsylvania Sealing & Redaction Procedures

CRITICALCivil cases

A filing containing defined Confidential Documents must be marked confidential through the portal prompts when submitted.

(iii) Electronic filings that contain “Confidential Documents” as defined by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shall be marked confidential at the time of their filing submission through the prompts on the C-Track E-Filing Portal.

CRITICAL

Exhibits containing confidential information or filed under seal must not be accessible to the public.

Exhibits that contain confidential information or are filed under seal shall not be accessible by the public

CRITICAL

An electronic filing containing defined Confidential Information must be appropriately redacted as required by the Public Access Policy.

Electronic filings that contain "Confidential Information" as defined by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shall be filed appropriately redacted, as required under the Public Access Policy.

CRITICALCivil cases

When the proceeding concludes, its documents must be impounded and sealed in a packet that may be opened only by court order and must remain with the Register/Clerk.

(1) Upon conclusion of any such proceeding, all documents therewith shall be impounded and sealed in an appropriate packet; with a restriction noted thereon that the packet shall not be opened except as authorized by an order of court, and thereafter shall be retained in the custody of the Register/Clerk.

CRITICAL

When filing a document that requires confidential or other security treatment, the filer must indicate that treatment through the portal prompts at submission.

(12) When an electronic filer files a document that should be marked "confidential" or otherwise secured, the filer shall indicate such required security at the time of their filing submission through the prompts on the C-Track E-Filing Portal.

CRITICALCivil cases

Electronic filings containing defined Confidential Information must be redacted as required by the Public Access Policy.

(ii) Electronic filings that contain “Confidential Information” as defined by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shall be filed appropriately redacted, as required under the Public Access Policy.

CRITICAL

Parties may not file both redacted and unredacted versions of the same pleading, exhibit, or other document.

Parties are expressly prohibited from filing two versions of any pleading, exhibit, or other document, i.e., a redacted version and an unredacted version.

CRITICALCivil cases

A filer submitting a document that should be confidential or otherwise secured must indicate the required security through the portal prompts at submission.

(12) When an electronic filer files a document that should be marked "confidential" or otherwise secured, the filer shall indicate such required security at the time of their filing submission through the prompts on the C-Track E-Filing Portal.

CRITICAL

Unless the court orders otherwise, transcript preparers must redact Social Security numbers, financial institution account identifiers, and names of minor children.

(A) The following personal data identifiers shall be redacted by the court reporter or transcriptionist preparing a transcript, unless otherwise ordered by the court: (1) Social Security numbers; (2) financial institution account identifiers; and (3) names of minor children.

CRITICAL

If a confidential or sealed exhibit is filed in C-Track, the records office must mark the docket and maintain the exhibit as directed by the Court or its designee.

To the extent any confidential and/or sealed exhibit is filed within the C-Track case management system, the records office shall mark the docket and maintain the exhibit in a manner prescribed by the Court, or its designee.

CRITICAL

Complaint-related filings are confidential unless the President Judge makes them public; if misconduct is sustained, the President Judge may make the decision and appropriate file materials public.

If a finding of misconduct in the course of performing judicial duties is sustained by the President Judge, the President Judge may make the decision available to the public, including filing the decision, and any other part of the file that he or she deems appropriate, in the Office of the Prothonotary. Unless made public by the President Judge, any filing related to a complaint shall be deemed a confidential filing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Only the Court may seal a filing by order, and a party seeking sealing should present a motion rather than seal it on its own.

Note: A docket entry, legal paper, or other information may only be sealed by the Court upon issuance ofan order. A party may not seal a filing sua sponte; rather, the party should present a motion if requesting that a case or filing be sealed.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel and unrepresented parties must comply with the Pennsylvania Public Access Policy, and e-filing does not excuse confidentiality-related filing obligations.

(i) Counsel and unrepresented parties must adhere to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Use of electronic filing does not relieve any obligation regarding the filing of confidential information and/or documents.

CRITICAL

Exhibits containing confidential information or filed under seal must not be accessible to the public.

Exhibits that contain confidential information or are filed under seal shall not be accessible by the public.

CRITICALCivil cases

For digitally maintained or accessed court records, the Court must control the system and restrict access consistently with these rules.

(i) To the extent that any part of the docket or court file is maintained digitally or otherwise accessed through software or electronic case management system, the Court shall exercise authority over the system and ensure that access to the court file is restricted consistent with these rules.

CRITICAL

Only the Court may seal a docket entry, legal paper, or other information by order; a party may not seal a filing on its own and should request sealing by motion.

A docket entry, legal paper, or other information may only be sealed by the Court upon issuance of an order. A party may not seal a filing sua sponte; rather, the party should present a motion if requesting that a case or filing be sealed.

CRITICALCriminal cases

Counsel and unrepresented parties must follow Pennsylvania's Public Access Policy and omit confidential information from papers filed with the Clerk.

Counsel and unrepresented parties must adhere to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania and refrain from including confidential information in legal papers filed with the Clerk of Court whether filed electronically or in paper format.

CRITICALCivil cases

When an adoption proceeding concludes, its documents must be impounded and sealed in a packet that may be opened only by court order and must remain with the Register/Clerk.

Upon conclusion of any such proceeding, all documents therewith shall be impounded and sealed in an appropriate packet; with a restriction noted thereon that the packet shall not be opened except as authorized by an order of court, and thereafter shall be retained in the custody of the Register/Clerk.

CRITICAL

Parties may not file both a redacted and an unredacted version of a pleading, exhibit, or other document.

Parties are expressly prohibited from filing two versions of any pleading, exhibit, or other document, i.e., a redacted version and an unredacted version.

CRITICAL

Only the Court may seal docket entries, legal papers, or other information by order; a party seeking sealing should file a motion and may not seal a filing on its own.

A docket entry, legal paper, or other information may only be sealed by the Court upon issuance ofan order. A filing party may not seal a filing sua sponte; rather, the filing party should present a motion if requesting that a case or filing be sealed.

CRITICAL

Counsel and unrepresented parties must comply with Pennsylvania’s Public Access Policy, and electronic filing does not excuse confidentiality-related filing obligations.

Counsel and unrepresented parties must adhere to the Public Access Policy ofthe Unified Judicial System ofPennsylvania. Use of electronic filing does not relieve any obligation regarding the filing of confidential information and/or documents.

CRITICAL

An electronic filing containing defined Confidential Documents must be marked confidential through the portal prompts at submission.

Electronic filings that contain "Confidential Documents" as defined by the Case Records Public Access Policy of the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts shall be marked confidential at the time of their filing submission through the prompts on the C-Track E-Filing Portal.

CRITICALCivil cases

Counsel and unrepresented parties must follow Pennsylvania's Public Access Policy, and e-filing does not excuse obligations concerning confidential information or documents.

Counsel and unrepresented parties must adhere to the Public Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania. Use of electronic filing does not relieve any obligation regarding the filing of confidential information and/or documents.

CRITICALCivil cases

Before the adoption concludes, only the specified judicial and court-administration personnel may inspect or remove the confidential court file, and only for official court business.

(b) The court file is confidential pursuant to the Act, and may only be inspected or removed by a Judge or staff of the assigned judge, District Court Administrator, or court administration staff for official court business prior to the conclusion of the adoption.

CRITICAL

Filers must not submit the covered documents in either redacted or unredacted versions.

Filers shall no longer submit such documents for filing in either “Redacted” or “Unredacted” versions.

CRITICAL

Filings related to a complaint are confidential unless the President Judge makes them public.

Unless made public by the President Judge, any filing related to a complaint shall be deemed a confidential filing.

CRITICAL

Without a court order, the record may be inspected only by the mental health review officer or counsel of record for the party involved.

(2) Absent order of court, the record may only be inspected by the mental health review officer, or counsel of record for the party involved.

CRITICAL

(1) All case records are confidential pursuant to the Act, and may only be accessed and/or removed by the Judge, staff of the assigned judge, District Court Administrator, or court administration staff for official court business.

(1) All case records are confidential pursuant to the Act, and may only be accessed and/or removed by the Judge, staff of the assigned judge, District Court Administrator, or court administration staff for official court business.

WARNINGCriminal cases

For good cause shown, the court may excuse the subpoena notice requirements on ex parte motion, and the order and subpoena copy may be filed under seal until further order.

(3) The court upon ex parte motion may excuse compliance with the notice requirements of this rule for good cause shown; any order, along with a copy of the subpoena for which notice is excused, may be filed under seal until further order of court.

WARNINGCivil cases

The court-file restrictions do not prevent removal or transmittal of the file under an applicable appellate-procedure rule, including Pa. R. A. P. 1931.

(ii) This rule is not intended to restrict removal and/or transmittal of the court file pursuant to any rule of appellate procedure, including Pa. R. A. P. 1931.

WARNING

Court-appointed counsel invoices are confidential and may not be released without prior court authorization; juvenile-case invoices also may not be disclosed to the specified county agency or solicitor without authorization.

(3) The invoices underlying payment shall be considered confidential and may not be released by the County or its officials without prior authorization from the Court. Absent authorization from the Court, invoices for juvenile cases may not be disclosed to the Children and Youth Services agency of the County or a solicitor for the County.

WARNINGCivil cases

For digitally maintained or accessed docket and court-file materials, the Court must ensure system access is restricted consistently with the rules.

To the extent that any part of the docket or court file is maintained digitally or otherwise accessed through software or electronic case management system, the Court shall exercise authority over the system and ensure that access to the court file is restricted consistent with these rules.

WARNINGCivil cases

Before an adoption concludes, the confidential court file may be inspected or removed only by specified court personnel for official court business.

The court file is confidential pursuant to the Act, and may only be inspected or removed by a Judge or staff of the assigned judge, District Court Administrator, or court administration staff for official court business prior to the conclusion of the adoption.

WARNINGCriminal cases

For good cause shown on an ex parte motion, the court may excuse the subpoena notice requirements, and the order and subpoena may be filed under seal until further court order.

The court upon ex parte motion may excuse compliance with the notice requirements of this rule for good cause shown; any order, along with a copy of the subpoena for which notice is excused, may be filed under seal until further order of court.

WARNINGCivil cases

Only the Court may seal a docket entry, legal paper, or other information by order; a filing party may not seal it on their own and should move for a seal.

Note: A docket entry, legal paper, or other information may only be sealed by the Court upon issuance of an order. A filing party may not seal a filing sua sponte; rather, the filing party should present a motion if requesting that a case or filing be sealed.

WARNINGCivil cases

An individual may obtain identifying or non-identifying information from the court file without a court order if the cited statutory and procedural requirements are met.

(2) An individual seeking release of non-identifying or identifying information in the court file does not need an order of court if the requirements of 23 Pa. Con. Stat. Ann. §§ 2932-2933 and Pa. R. O. C. P. 15.22 are satisfied.

WARNING

Written juror questionnaires are confidential and must be destroyed after trial or a juror’s service; counsel and unrepresented parties may not retain them after voir dire.

If a written questionnaire is used, it shall be considered confidential, and the original questionnaires and all copies shall be destroyed at the conclusion of the trial or service by a juror. Counsel, or a party if unrepresented, shall not have possession, or otherwise maintain a copy in any form, of the written questionnaire after the conclusion of voir dire.

WARNING

The mini-jury verdict must not be made public.

The mini-jury trial is an extension of the settlement conference, and the verdict shall not be made public.

WARNING

The Court may seal all or part of a record on a party’s application or sua sponte, consistent with the applicable policy and governing authority.

The Policy in no way alters the ability and authority of the Court, upon application of a party or acting sua sponte, to seal a record or any portion of a record for reasons not inconsistent with the Policy, or other applicable governing authority.

INFO

Additional personal data identifiers may be redacted on a party’s motion or by the court on its own initiative.

(B) Nothing in this rule shall prevent the redaction of additional personal data identifiers upon motion of any party, or sua sponte the court.

INFOCivil cases

The Court may seal all or part of a record on a party’s application or on its own initiative, consistent with the Policy and other governing authority.

The Policy in no way alters the ability and authority of the Court, upon application of a party or acting sua sponte, to seal a record or any portion of a record for reasons not inconsistent with the Policy, or other applicable governing authority.

INFOCivil cases

The Court may seal a record or part of a record on a party’s application or on its own initiative, subject to applicable governing authority.

The Policy in no way alters the ability and authority of the Court, upon application of a party or acting sua sponte, to seal a record or any portion of a record for reasons not inconsistent with the Policy, or other applicable governing authority.