M E M O
TO: Joint Procedure Committee
FROM: Mike Hagburg
RE: Rule 41, N.D. Sup. Ct. Admin. R., Access to Judicial Records; Rule 3.1, N.D.R.Ct., Pleadings; Appendix G, N.D.R.Ct., Confidential Information Form
At its April meeting, the Committee discussed ways to increase security of personal information contained in judicial records. At its September meeting, the Committee worked on refining the language of proposed amendments designed to protect personal information to Administrative Rule 41, N.D.R.Ct. 3.1 and N.D.R.Ct. Appendix G.
In September, the Committee focused on developing a definition of "personal information" that would be narrow enough to work. The Committee eventually decided to propose rule amendments that would protect social security, credit, debit and electronic transfer numbers in court records. The proposed amendments to Administrative Rule 41 would protect personal information already contained in court records, while the proposed amendments to N.D.R.Ct. 3.1 and N.D.R.Ct. Appendix G would protect incoming personal information.
Proposed amendments to Administrative Rule 41, N.D.R.Ct. 3.1 and N.D.R.Ct. Appendix G that reflect the Committee's September actions are attached. The Committee approved these proposed amendments by a 9-6 vote at the September meeting--since this was not a 2/3 majority vote, the amendments are back for further consideration.