Internet Access to Court Records - Balancing Public Access and Privacy

Abstract

Federal and state courts across the country are becoming publicly accessible as never before. Growing reliance on computer technology generally and on the Internet specifically, has made the prospect of placing court case records and information online via the Internet a reality. Yet as courts around the country are discovering, difficult policy questions arise as courts move from paper to electronic records, move beyond providing online access to court calendars and docket information, and begin making case files themselves available over the Internet. This article addresses the current debate between public access and privacy in courts around the country as many courts begin providing Internet access to court docket information and case records.

Keywords: courts, court records, Internet, privacy, transparency, secrecy

JEL Classification: K40, K30, K10