PRIVACY CONSIDERATIONS IN ELECTRONIC JUDICIAL RECORDS: WHEN CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS COLLIDE

I. Introduction............................................................................................................. 569 II. The legal principle of open judicial records.......................................................... 571 III. Electronic access policies........................................................................................ 573 IV. Conclusion............................................................................................................... 579

This chapter addresses the growing trend toward electronic judicial records and the policies various states have enacted addressing the issue of privacy. By examining the results of a much-anticipated working group studying issues of e-government and information access, the author examines the challenges posed by electronic records and proposes a more proper balance between the public’s right to know and other competing interests.