Source: http://montanafoi.org/access-in-montana/courts
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 07:01:36+00:00

Document:
What laws govern access to courts and court records?
Most of the law governing law enforcement records can be found in the Montana Criminal Justice Information Act, Title 44, Chapter 5 of Montana Code Annotated. This act spells out what can and cannot be released. Laws regarding the release of information about juvenile criminal proceedings are found in Part 6 of the Youth Court Act, Title 41, Chapter 5, MCA.
Further, certain landmark cases in Montana courts, the “Right to Know” provision in the Montana Constitution and the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee the public the right to attend criminal proceedings except in the most extreme cases. As a general rule, closure must be a last resort, taken only after 1) a showing of the compelling interests that demand it and 2) that less restrictive alternatives are unavailable.
When are court documents officially public?
Once a document is filed in court, any member of the public can have access to it unless the judge has ordered otherwise in certain special and rare situations. That means, for instance, that information cannot be withheld because the parties involved have not been served.
Are all court records open for public inspection?
§2-6-1002(1)(b) MCA exempts from disclosure information “related to judicial deliberations in adversarial proceedings.” This is a new exemption which awaits judicial construction. It presumably is restricted to judge’s notes, as well as law clerk memos to judges. It could also be construed to include court reporter “raw” notes and trial transcripts.
Are youth court records afforded any special protection under Montana law?
Youth court records and law enforcement records pertaining to a youth covered under this law are sealed three years after the end of supervision for an offense, but may be unsealed if a new offense is committed.
Certain records remain private under the court’s discretion. Under §41-5-215, these include “Social, medical, and psychological records, youth assessment materials, predispositional studies, and supervision records of probationers.” Under the old law, these types of records were only opened to the public if the juvenile were charged with an offense that would be a felony if the juvenile were an adult. Only then were court proceedings to be open to the public. This rule also applied to law-enforcement records.
Can a newspaper or broadcaster be punished for printing the name of a youth as long as the information was lawfully obtained?
Are presentence investigation reports public records?
Not without a court order. According to §46-18-113 (1) MCA, “All presentence investigation reports must be a part of the court record but may not be opened for public inspection.” Further, such confidential criminal justice information is restricted to criminal justice agencies, those authorized by law to receive it and those authorized to receive it by court order. However, both of these statutes have provisions that allow a district judge to authorize release of the information. §46-18-113(2) specifically states that the court can allow access to others as it considers necessary. §44-5-303 allows a judge to enter a court order allowing others to have access to confidential criminal justice information upon finding that the demands of individual privacy do not exceed the merits of the public’s right to know.
Can a judge restrict access to television cameras in the courtroom?
§3-1-111 MCA allows the district court judge to control the “orderly conduct of proceedings.” However, Canon 35 of the Canons of Judicial Ethics allows closure only when the judge finds that broadcasting would “substantially and materially interfere with the primary function of the court.” The judge also must put into the record the reasons. It also sets forth a specific procedure for the reporter to follow, i.e., make a direct request to the judge.
Are pretrial hearings and suppression hearings open to the public?
Generally, yes. Under §46-11-701 MCA, pretrial proceedings in criminal cases are generally open to the public. If it appears to the judge that pretrial publicity may threaten the right of the defendant to a fair trial, the judge is first supposed to seek the voluntary cooperation of the news media in delaying dissemination of the potentially prejudicial information until the impaneling of the jury or earlier at the discretion of the judge. If such voluntary cooperation cannot be agreed to, the judge is then supposed to hold a hearing on whether the hearing on the proceeding should be closed. The judge is supposed to close suppression hearings and seal the record only if the dissemination of information would create a clear and present danger to the fairness of the trial and the prejudicial effect cannot be avoided by any reasonable alternative means.
May judges close selection of juror (voir dire) proceedings to the public?
Are coroner’s inquests open to the public?
Yes. §46-4-201 MCA establishes that a coroner’s inquest must be run like a court. §3-1-312 says that all court proceedings in Montana are open to the public, with almost no exceptions. The purpose to an inquest is to clear the air in the case of a controversial death. To close the inquest would defeat that purpose.
What should reporters do when they think a court proceeding is being closed improperly?
Your Honor, may I address the court?
I respectfully object to closing this proceeding to the public and the news media. The Montana Supreme Court in Tribune v. District Court, and Smith v. District Court, ruled that the “right to know” provision of the Montana Constitution and the First and the Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution guarantee the public the right to attend criminal proceedings except in the most extreme cases.
Before you rule on this motion to close these proceedings, I request a recess to let me consult with my employer and my lawyer. Thank you.

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