Hays County Courts at Law Sealing & Redaction Procedures

When the Court signs an order granting nondisclosure, the Clerk must immediately seal the civil case file in the same manner as the underlying criminal case.

However, upon the Court's signing an order granting nondisclosure, the Clerk shall immediately seal the civil case file in the same manner as the underlying criminal case.

When a nondisclosure petition is granted, the Clerk must seal both the underlying criminal-case records and the civil nondisclosure proceeding.

Upon a Court's granting of a petition for nondisclosure, the Clerk of the Court shall seal not only the records of the underlying criminal case but also the civil nondisclosure proceedings itself.

Civil cases

Filers must redact sensitive personal information from all filings, including proposed orders and attached exhibits, and non-compliant filings may be rejected by the Clerk.

All filings, including Proposed Orders and any attached exhibits, must strictly comply with TRCP Rule 21c. Filers are ordered to redact all sensitive data, including but not limited to Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, bank account numbers, and birth dates of living individuals. Non-compliant filings are subject to rejection by the Clerk.

Sealed nondisclosure case files and related records must be withheld from public inspection while remaining accessible to the Court, the Clerk, and statutorily authorized entities.

Once sealed, the Clerk shall not make the case file, docket entries, and related records of the nondisclosure proceeding available for public inspection but shall keep those items accessible to the Court, the Clerk, and other entities expressly authorized by the applicable statute.

Civil cases

The Court Visitor must keep information gathered during visits and interviews confidential and disclose it only to the Court.

The Guardianship Staff Attorney, in their capacity as Court Visitor, shall maintain strict confidentiality regarding all information gathered during visits and interviews. The Guardianship Staff Attorney as Court Visitor shall disclose such information only to the Court.

Criminal cases

Anyone receiving information under the order may use or disclose it only as consistent with the authorized purpose for which it was obtained.

Any person who receives any medical, mental health, or intellectual/developmental disability information pursuant to this Order is prohibited from using or further disclosing such information except to the extent that the use or disclosure is consistent with the authorized purpose for which the person first obtained the information.