Pa. UJS Case Records Access Policy Explanatory Report

EXPLANATORY REPORT

AMENDMENTS TO THE

CASE RECORDS PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY

OF THE UNIFIED JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF PENNSYLVANIA

On October 6, 2021, effective January 1, 2022, upon recommendation of the Administrative

Office of Pennsylvania Courts, the Court amended Sections 7.0 and 9.0 of the Case Records Public

Access Policy of the Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania to require the statewide use of the

Confidential Information Form. The specific amendments are detailed below.

Sections 7.0(A) and (C) have been amended to require filers to safeguard confidential

information using a Confidential Information Form. Prior to these amendments, an appellate or trial

court could permit the filing of any document in two versions, a “Redacted Version” and “Unredacted

Version” rather than require the use of the Confidential Information Form. Now, all courts throughout

the Commonwealth will utilize the same method to safeguard confidential information.

New Section 9.0(H) provides that these amendments do not apply retroactively to documents filed

with a court or custodian prior to the effective date of the amendments. Specifically, an unredacted version

of a document filed under prior versions of this Policy shall not be accessible to the public.

Implementing a single, statewide approach for the treatment of confidential information

throughout the courts of the Commonwealth will establish procedural uniformity and support the statewide

practice of law by members of the bar.