Lubbock County Courts at Law Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Criminal cases

The covered property or material must not be made available to the public for copying or dissemination during a criminal hearing or proceeding and must be placed under seal when it concludes.

ADDITIONALLY, the Court further ORDERS that any property or material described by Article 39.152 must not be made available or allowed to be made available for copying or dissemination to the public during the course of a criminal hearing or proceeding pursuant to Article 38.451 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and shall be placed under seal of the Court on conclusion of the hearing or proceeding.

Civil cases

DFPS case affidavits, court reports, and other documents are confidential and maintained by the District Clerk; specified persons may access them, and others may request access from the Court.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that access to affidavits, court reports, and other documents filed in a suit brought by DFPS pursuant to Chapters 261, 262, and 264 of the Texas Family Code are CONFIDENTIAL and shall be maintained by the District Clerk of Lubbock County as such. The Clerk of the Court shall allow access to these pleadings, orders, and documents to the court, an associate judge, DFPS employees, employees of a Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) acting as an authorized agent of DFPS, a party, a party's attorney, any attorney ad litem or guardian ad litem for the child, and the Office of the Attorney General. Any other person or entity requesting access to a confidential case file subject to this standing order may submit a request to the Court using the form attached as Exhibit "A".

Criminal cases

No party may further disseminate DFPS discovery provided by the State to a third party; violations constitute contempt of court.

ADDITIONALLY, it is further ORDERED that a Protective Order is issued preventing any party from further dissemination of any such discovery provided by the State from DFPS to any third party. Any person who violates this order will be in contempt of court.

Criminal cases

Property or material produced under Article 39.152 may not be copied or disseminated except for use in the criminal proceeding.

THEREFORE, the Court further ORDERS that property or material described by Article 39.152 and produced to the defendant or the defendant's attorney be subject to a protective order prohibiting the copying or dissemination of the evidence, save and except for use in trial, hearings, or other matters related to the criminal proceeding.

Criminal cases

Property or material produced under Article 39.153 may not be copied or disseminated, except for use in the criminal proceeding.

THEREFORE, the Court ORDERS that property or material described by Article 39.153 and produced to the defendant or the defendant's attorney be subject to a protective order prohibiting the copying or dissemination of the evidence, save and except for use in trial, hearings, or other matters related to the criminal proceeding.

Criminal cases

At final disposition, the defendant or defense attorney must return to the State or destroy covered material that was produced but not admitted into evidence.

FINALLY, the Court further ORDERS that the defendant and/or the defendant's attorney either return to the State or destroy any property or material described above that has been produced under Article 39.14 and not offered as and admitted into evidence upon final disposition of the case.

Criminal cases

Article 39.153 property or material must not be available for public copying or dissemination during a criminal hearing or proceeding and must be placed under seal when the hearing or proceeding concludes.

FURTHER, the Court also ORDERS that any property or material described by Article 39.153 must not be made available or allowed to be made available for copying or dissemination to the public during the course of a criminal hearing or proceeding pursuant to Articles 38.435 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and shall be placed under seal of the Court on conclusion of the hearing or proceeding.

Criminal cases

FURTHER, the Court also ORDERS that the information gathered from DFPS be released without any redactions of a reports) of alleged or suspected abuse or neglect and the identity of the person making the report to the defense attorney(s) and prosecuting attorney(s).

FURTHER, the Court also ORDERS that the information gathered from DFPS be released without any redactions of a reports) of alleged or suspected abuse or neglect and the identity of the person making the report to the defense attorney(s) and prosecuting attorney(s).