Lubbock County District Courts Sealing & Redaction Procedures

Sensitive data may not be filed in a case record and must instead be submitted in a separately filed, clearly identifiable Sensitive Data Form approved by the Supreme Court of Texas.

14.2(a) Except as provided in 14.3(d), Sensitive Data must not be filed or included in a case record, as defined by Rule of Judicial Administration 15.2, except in a separately filed, clearly identifiable Sensitive Data Form approved by the Supreme Court of Texas.

When sensitive data must be included in a case record, only the last four digits may be used.

14.2(b) If a court rule, court order, or statute requires a person to file or include sensitive data in a case record other than in a Sensitive Data Form, a person must abbreviate the data and use only the last four digits of those numbers.

A Sensitive Data Form must be filed when the first record containing the corresponding abbreviated sensitive data is filed, with an additional form required only for newly included data.

14.2(c) A person must file the Sensitive Data Form at the same time the first case record containing the abbreviated sensitive data is filed. A person must file additional Sensitive Data Forms in a particular cause only if a case record is filed containing abbreviated sensitive data not previously included in a Sensitive Data Form.

Sensitive Data Forms must be stored separately from other case records in the proceeding.

14.3(a) The court or court clerk must secure Sensitive Data Forms separately from other case records in that proceeding.

Access to a filed Sensitive Data Form is restricted to the parties or attorneys of record and specified court or governmental personnel whose duties require access.

14.3(b) Access to a filed Sensitive Data Form is prohibited, except the court or court clerk must allow access to the forms to a party or an attorney of record in the cause in which the Sensitive Data Form is filed, and court officials, court personnel, or other governmental entities, including a Title IV-D agency and law enforcement agencies, whose duties require access to this sensitive data.

A Sensitive Data Form may be included in an appellate record only by specific written order and must be maintained separately from the remainder of the record or court file.

14.4 Record on Appeal. A Sensitive Data Form must not be included in the clerk's record on appeal. A Sensitive Data Form may be provided to the appellate court only upon specific written order from the appellate court. If an appellate court orders a copy of the Sensitive Data Form to be filed, it must maintain the Sensitive Data Form separately from the remainder of the record or court file.

A court should avoid revealing sensitive data in orders and opinions when legally permitted, but this rule does not authorize redacting adjudicated orders or opinions.

14.3(d) A court should avoid revealing sensitive data in its orders and opinions to the extent permitted by law. Nothing in this rule permits a court to redact information from a court order or opinion issued in the adjudication of a case.

The court or court clerk may maintain a record identifying each person who receives access to a filed Sensitive Data Form.

14.3(c) A court or court clerk may obtain and maintain a record of each person to whom access to a filed Sensitive Data Form is provided