LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT / ADMINISTRATIVELY UNIFIED COURTS

PUBLIC INFORMATION POLICY

Background

The policy of the Los Angeles Superior Court and the Administratively Unified Courts is to assist the public and the news media in understanding the functions of the judicial process, including:

• To educate and inform the public about the role and function of the court and the legal system;

• To establish a communications structure to inform the public about court-related developments;

• To ensure fair, complete and accurate reporting on the courts;

• To assist news media representatives to carry out their responsibilities to inform the public, and

• To accommodate media coverage with the least disruption to court proceedings.

Policy

The policy of the Los Angeles Superior Court and the Administratively Unified Courts is to provide information on a timely basis and to assure adequate access to proceedings which the public has a right to attend. Court documents are not covered by the California Public Records Act or the Federal Freedom of Information Act, but the Court's policy is to ensure access to all records that are not confidential.

The following items are confidential by statute and may not be copied or shown to the public:

1. Juvenile Court records (Welfare & Institution Code Section 827);

2. Adoption proceeding records (Family Code Section 9200);

3. Termination of parental rights proceedings records (Family Code Section 7805);

4. Probation reports except during 60 days from the date judgment is pronounced or probation is granted, whichever occurs first, or by the parties or their attorney of record, or by court order (Penal Code Section 1203.05);

5. Records of Grand Jury proceedings before indictment (Penal Code Section 938.1(b));

6. Sealed records (Penal Code Section 851.8, 1203.45);

7. Medical records and reports submitted pursuant to a court order (Evidence Code Section 1017);

8. Subpoenaed records and expert reports, until they are introduced as evidence, unless the parties stipulate to view them (Evidence Code Section 1560(d));

9. Search warrants and affidavits, until the return of service is filed, or 10 days after issuance, whichever occurs first. (Penal Code 1534(a));

10. Arrest reports (April 10, 1992, County Counsel opinion, Penal Code Section 1054.2).

11. Jury identification information ordered sealed by the Court (Code of Civil Procedure Section 237);

12. Reports concerning mentally disordered prisoners (Penal Code Section 4011.6);

13. Criminal history information (Penal Code Section 11105, 13300 et seq.);

14. Access to MCI or TCIS computer system, data base or computerized records except a printed docket (August 9, 1989, County Counsel Opinion);

15. Social Security numbers (Government Section 68107);

16. In Forma pauperis application (California Rules of Court, Rule 985(h));

17. Records and documents in attachment cases when a request is made (Code of Civil Procedure Section 482.050);

18. Criminal exhibits without a court order.

19. Paternity cases, except judgments.

Exceptions to Court policy can only be granted upon order of the Court. Persons requesting access to confidential records are to be advised that they may appear in Court to request a court order for access to the confidential records.