Opinion ID: 2543466
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: motion to compel disclosure of m.l.'s uni records

Text: ¶ 7 Before trial, Cramer filed a motion to compel disclosure of M.L.'s records maintained by UNI. Cramer argued that this information was critical to his defense since the case depended on M.L.'s credibility. In his memorandum in support of this motion, Cramer requested full disclosure of M.L.'s records, but at a hearing on this motion, Cramer's attorney stated that, at a minimum, the court should conduct an in camera review of the records. At this hearing, M.L.'s guardian ad litem argued against disclosure on the ground that the records were privileged medical records. See Utah R. Evid. 506(c) (allowing guardian to claim privilege on behalf of protected person). The court ruled that it would conduct an in camera review of the records pursuant to Pennsylvania v. Ritchie, 480 U.S. 39, 107 S.Ct. 989, 94 L.Ed.2d 40 (1987), in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment did not entitle an accused to conduct his own search of the State's files, whether or not the files contain privileged information. Id. at 56 & n. 15, 57-60, 107 S.Ct. 989 (ruling that, when an accused establishes a sufficient basis to justify an in camera review, a court must conduct the review and disclose material information to the accused). Upon conducting an in camera review, the trial court ruled that none of the records was material to the defense within the meaning of Ritchie, and thus did not disclose any of the records to Cramer.