Testimony welcome at open hearing about public access to judicial records

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Content date: 03/01/2010

Testimony welcome at open hearing about public access to judicial records

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The State Judicial Records Committee of the Supreme Court of Missouri will take public testimony about proposed changes to Court Operating Rule (COR) 2, governing public access to judiciary records, at a hearing scheduled for 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 16, 2010, at the state courts administrator’s office at 121 Alameda Drive in Jefferson City. The draft reflecting the changes the committee is considering is available online at http://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=37273.

COR 2 addresses administrative records, bulk distribution of court data, compiled information, and Internet access to court case information for records of the judicial branch. Records of all state courts are presumed to be open to any member of the public for purposes of inspection or copying during the regular business hours of the court having custody of the records not considered confidential pursuant to statute, rule or court order.

COR 2 does not apply to records that are confidential pursuant to statute, court rule or court order; judicial or judicial staff work product; internal electronic mail; memoranda or drafts; or appellate judicial case assignments. The committee’s review process will address neither those records nor any revision to current state laws.

To accommodate all individuals wishing to testify, testimony will be time-limited and must be limited to COR 2. To enable state courts administrator’s office (OSCA) staff to plan for sufficient space and time for the meeting, please notify OSCA – no later than 5 p.m. Friday, March 26 by e-mail at cor2comments@courts.mo.gov or by telephone at (573) 751-4377 – of your intention to attend and/or testify.

The committee also will accept written testimony. Please send written comments by e-mail to cor2comments@courts.mo.gov, by fax to (573) 522-6152 or by regular postal mail to COR 2 Comments, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Post Office Box 104480, Jefferson City, Mo. 65110. Written comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. Friday, March 26, 2010.

For additional information, please contact OSCA Legal Counsel Catherine Zacharias by telephone at (573) 751-4377 or by e-mail at cor2comments@courts.mo.gov.

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