Criminal Case Files Go Online

The Judicial Conference of the United States has released a guide for allowing remote electronic access to criminal case files. The guide states that if a document would be available to a member of the public at the courthouse, it should be available through the court’s electronic access system. It also calls for the redaction of Social Security numbers and other sensitive data, and explains the types of documents – such as arrest warrants and juvenile records – that will not be available electronically. A separate document provides a model rule for compliance.