San Juan County Superior Court Sealing & Redaction Procedures

CRITICAL

If the court relies on JIS search information in its decision, a copy of the results and the JIS Background Check form must be filed as confidential documents; the text’s final sentence is incomplete.

Per Chapter 2.28 RCW (as amended by SHB 1617, Laws of 2015), if the Court relies upon information in the results of the search in rendering a decision, a copy of the results and the JIS Background Check form must be filed as a confidential document, within the court file, with any confidential contact information such as addresses, phone numbers, or other information that might disclose the

CRITICAL

Financial source documents, personal healthcare records, GAL or parenting evaluator reports, and other reports containing GR 22 confidential information must be submitted with the mandatory sealing cover sheet.

Consistent with General Rule (GR) 22, financial source documents, personal healthcare records, guardian ad litem (GAL)/parenting evaluator reports, and other reports containing confidential information as defined by GR 22 shall be submitted with the mandatory cover sheet for sealing such documents.

WARNING

Complaints are confidential unless found to have merit; records of complaints found not to have merit may be disclosed only by court order for good cause after notice and an opportunity to be heard.

A complaint shall be deemed confidential for all purposes unless the judge reviewing the complaint has determined that the complaint has merit. Any record of complaints filed which are not deemed by the judge to have merit shall be confidential, and shall not be disclosed except by court order, upon good cause shown, after the person against whom the complaint was brought has been given notice and an opportunity to be heard.

WARNING

Parentage cases must be filed as confidential case type 5, but the final parentage order is open to public inspection and later records are publicly accessible unless court rules or an order provide otherwise.

Parentage cases are required to be filed as a confidential case type 5. However, pursuant to RCW 26.26A.500, the final order in a proceeding to determine parentage under RCW 26.26A.400 through .515 is available for public inspection. The Judgment and Order Determining Parentage shall be the final order in the confidential/sealed case type 5. Except as otherwise provided by applicable court rules or Court order, records entered in a proceeding under RCW Ch. 26.26A after the entry of a final order determining parentage are publicly accessible.