These are, after all, public records. This technological change has profound implications for privacy. JIS was a pioneer in developing a policy to balance public disclosure of court records with personal privacy concerns. Some court records are confidential by legislative mandate. In some instances, judges may exercise discretion by court rule to seal certain court records that are particularly sensitive for the litigants.
People have access to public courts records.
But today, these records are more expansive and will become increasingly easier to access. Consequently, the JIS Oversight Committee has directed its Data Dissemination Subcommittee to revisit the policy on public disclosure and privacy, and develop a more reasonable balance between these concerns. The hearing was very enlightening, making it clear that we need to develop an appropriate balance between disclosure of public court records and personal privacy. This is particularly true for certain kinds of court actions where a person is compelled to disclose much of their personal and financial information. Privacy has become a significant issue in both Olympia and Washington, D.C. Attorney General Christine Gregoire and Representative Jim Kastama have been talking about privacy of consumer records.