Opinion ID: 2108555
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Replies of the Clerk of Court to inquiries

Text: The Clerk of the Superior Court shall reply to inquiries that no record exists as to any case where an order to seal has been granted. [3] In addition, the United States Attorney, in his submission to this court, has stated: To ensure that prosecutorial decisions will not be based on records of an arrest or prosecution which have been sealed pursuant to a Hudson order, . . . we will devise an internal system of record collection and sealing which will provide relief to a movant similar to that afforded by the Superior Court. Prosecutorial records will be collected and sealed in a secure, central location, and access will not be allowed except upon a showing to the United States Attorney of compelling need. We will, in addition, purge our computerized Prosecutor's Management Information System (PROMIS) of all records of the arrest and subsequent prosecution. I agree that this undertaking will satisfy the legitimate concerns of arrested persons whose records are ordered sealed by the court under the foregoing procedures. I trust that appellant, the United States, will follow through accordingly. Finally, there is the question of the effective date of relief under Hudson. On the basis of equitable considerations, I believe that all persons arrested on or after July 19, 1979, the date of our first en banc opinion in this proceeding, should have available the benefits of that decision and the procedures elaborated above. Thus, as to all persons not party to this proceeding, I would deem the procedures set forth above to be effective as of July 19, 1979, and accordingly that, as to all persons for whom a proceeding that includes their arrest has terminated before the date of today's order, the time limitations in paragraph 2 should be waived, and a motion for relief should be allowable within 120 days after the date hereof (or, upon the required showing, within two years from the date of the order in this proceeding or at any time thereafter if the government does not object). Separate statement of MACK, Associate Judge, with whom KELLY, Associate Judge, joins: In District of Columbia v. Hudson, D.C. App., 404 A.2d 175 (1979), we joined the en banc court in approving the remedy of record sealing, although in our own view expunction was the preferable approach for granting relief to citizens who were burdened with erroneous records of arrest. We adhere to our view that expunction is the more effective and less cumbersome alternative, but because we believe that the presentations made to this court should be used in the interest of providing an equitable remedy, we join Judge Ferren's dissent. We would order the implementation of procedures for sealing of arrest, court and prosecutorial records. We concur in the dispositions ordered with respect to the parties in this proceeding.