Right of Access
Rape Victim Asks Court to Retroactively Redact Name from 16-Year-Old Opinion
Court redacts the name from the court-hosted official record, but refuses to order private sites to remove it.
Virginia S. Ct. Declines to Unseal Allegations of Misconduct Against a Virginia Judge
The allegations had been filed in an appendix to a petition the judge filed in the state supreme court, challenging her suspension by the state Judicial Inquiry and Review Commission; but the court concludes they are nonetheless not records open to the public.
Public Records Requests Related to School "Diversity/Equity/Inclusion" Programs
An interesting new Pennsylvania administrative decision on the subject.
Interesting Public Records vs. Academic Freedom Case Related to Animal Research
UPDATE: As predicted, PETA has moved to intervene. FURTHER UPDATE: The court has indeed allowed PETA to intervene.
No Sealing of Police Body-Cam Video in Lawsuit Over Confrontation With Police,
even though the video includes a brief appearance by a minor (a friend of plaintiff's).
Always Glad to Get Pro Bono Court-Appointed Amicus Work
This may be especially helpful in cases involving sealing or pseudonymity, where the parties agree with each other but the public interest ought to be represented.
No TRO for Prominent but Pseudonymous Surgeon Suing the University of Michigan for Allegedly Improper Suspension
The judge also says the plaintiff's request for pseudonymity was inadequately supported.
Court Depseudonymizes Plaintiff, After Evidence Related to Plaintiff's Past Cases Emerges
“Plaintiff has filed numerous lawsuits, several of which involve circumstances similar to this case. In some she has been permitted to proceed anonymously; in others, she has not. Regardless, Defendant maintains that Plaintiff is a ‘vexatious litigant.’ This goes directly to Plaintiff’s credibility, and Defendant should not be hampered in pursuing that defense.”
No HIPAA for Hippos (or, Seals and Animal Welfare)
"There is no veterinarian privilege, no animal equivalent of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and no case law suggesting that humans and animals are entitled to the same level of privacy."
Should Kuwaiti Student Challenging Title IX Sexual Misconduct Finding Be Pseudonymous,
in part because he is a citizen of Kuwait, “where ‘sexual activity outside of marriage goes against religious and cultural values’ and ‘sexual relations outside of marriage are illegal"?
She Who Seeks Pseudonymity Must Provide Pseudonymity
Or, to be precise, her lawyers must do so.
May University Faculty/Staff/Students Sue Pseudonymously Over Limits on Religious Exemptions from COVID Vaccine Mandate?
Yes, says a federal court, partly because this particular challenge (to a policy “which only allowed religious exemptions for those individuals who are members of organized religions whose teachings entirely forbid vaccinations”) appears to be purely legal in nature.
May College Students Sue Pseudonymously to Challenge Discipline for COVID Protocol Violations?
Another example of how badly split courts are on pseudonymity questions.
Should Prominent Surgeon Be Able to Pseudonymously Sue University of Michigan for Allegedly Improper Suspension?
If so, should that be because his "stellar reputation is a critical component to ensuring the public's trust for him to operate on their children for complex procedures"?
No Sealing of School Basketball Team Sexual Assault Case,
but the minors involved (including the accused students) will be pseudonymized.
No Sealing or Pseudonymity for Sexual Assault Defendant
"[I]f the purported falsity of the complaint's allegations were sufficient to seal an entire case, then the law would recognize a presumption to seal instead of a presumption of openness."
