Rule 4 Rule 4: General Access Rule

Court records are open to the public unless a specific rule says otherwise. This means most documents filed in a case, like motions, orders, and other records, can be viewed by anyone. It does not matter how the record was created or stored. Whether it's paper, digital, audio, or video, the same access rules apply.

If part of a record is kept private, the court has to show that something was removed or sealed. However, the court does not have to reveal what that hidden information actually is. This notice requirement does not apply to certain confidential court proceedings or administrative records that are already protected by law.

Courts can also place reasonable limits on public access to audio and video recordings of hearings and trials. This might happen if unlimited access would disrupt court operations or violate judicial conduct rules about recording proceedings. Even so, these limits cannot be used to completely block someone's right to see a court record that is otherwise public.