13.12 Exhibits containing sexual conduct of a minor

When evidence involving sexual conduct of a minor gets used as an exhibit in a court hearing or trial, the court has to keep that material out of the video recording of the proceedings. This protects the minor from having that sensitive content captured and stored as part of the public video record.

Any physical exhibits containing this type of material must also be sealed. The court will mark these exhibits with a label that says "Sealed pursuant to RCr 13.12." This keeps the material private and limits who can access it, even though it's still part of the official case file.

This rule exists to protect children from further harm. It stops sensitive images or evidence from being easily viewed or shared once they become part of a court case.