Opinion ID: 1865703
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Common Law Right of Access

Text: It is undisputed that a common law right to inspect and copy civil court records exists. See, e.g., Nixon v. Warner Communications, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 597, 98 S.Ct. 1306, 1311, 55 L.Ed.2d 570 (1977) (It is clear that the courts of this country recognize a general right to inspect and copy   judicial records and documents); Newman v. Graddick, 696 F.2d 796 (11th Cir.1983); Joy v. North, 692 F.2d 880 (2d Cir.1982), cert. denied, 460 U.S. 1051, 103 S.Ct. 1498, 75 L.Ed.2d 930 (1983); Zenith Radio Corp. v. Matsushita, 529 F.Supp. 866, 875 (E.D. Pa.1981); In re Estate of Hearst, 67 Cal. App.3d 777, 136 Cal.Rptr. 821 (1977); State ex rel. Bilder v. Township of Delavan, 112 Wis.2d 539, 334 N.W.2d 252 (1983); see also Annot., 84 A.L.R.3d 598 (1978) (discussion of the common law right of access in the United States). The right to inspect and copy records is considered fundamental to a democratic state, United States v. Mitchell, 551 F.2d 1252, 1258 (D.C.Cir. 1976), rev'd on other grounds sub nom. Nixon, 435 U.S. 589, 98 S.Ct. 1306, 55 L.Ed.2d 570; and is based on the principle that what transpires in the courtroom is public property. Craig v. Harney, 331 U.S. 367, 374, 67 S.Ct. 1249, 1254, 91 L.Ed.2d 1546 (1947). The right of inspection serves to produce `an informed and enlightened public opinion.' Mitchell, 551 F.2d at 1258 (quoting Grosjean v. American Press Co., 297 U.S. 233, 247, 56 S.Ct. 444, 448, 80 L.Ed. 660 (1936)). The right is well recognized in the United States. See id. n. 21, 56 S.Ct. at n. 21; Note, The Common Law Right to Inspect and Copy Judicial Records: In Camera or On Camera, 16 Ga.L.Rev. 659, 666-72 (1982). Under the common law right, a presumption in favor of access arises. See In re Knoxville News-Sentinel Co., 723 F.2d 470, 474 (6th Cir.1983); Joy, 692 F.2d at 893. Many courts have characterized it as a strong presumption in favor of access. See, e.g., Mitchell, 551 F.2d at 1258-61; In re Coordinated Pretrial Proceedings in Petroleum Products Antitrust Litigation, 101 F.R.D. 34, 43 (C.D.Ca.1984). A party seeking to restrict access under the common law must assert a sufficiently strong interest in support of denying access in order to overcome the presumption. Although no one standard is universally accepted, courts have required parties seeking to restrict access to assert either strong countervailing reasons, Hearst, 67 Cal.App.3d at 784, 136 Cal.Rptr. at 825; or most compelling reasons, Joy, 692 F.2d at 893, before access can be restricted. The common law right of access, however, is not absolute. Nixon, 435 U.S. at 598, 98 S.Ct. at 1312. Every court has supervisory power over its own records and files, and access has been denied where court files might have become a vehicle for improper purposes. Id. A balancing test is applied to determine whose interests should prevail. Those interests supporting access, including the presumption in favor of access, are balanced against the interests asserted for denying access. See Newman, 696 F.2d at 803; Hearst, 67 Cal. App.3d at 784, 136 Cal.Rptr. at 825; Bilder, 112 Wis.2d at 551, 334 N.W.2d at 259. Only if the interests asserted in favor of denying access are strong enough to overcome the presumption may access be denied. See, e.g., Hearst, 67 Cal.App.3d at 777, 136 Cal.Rptr. 821 (interests in protecting privacy and safety of heirs were sufficient to overcome strong presumption in favor of access).