Council public-records study not secret
The editorial states that the committee appointed to study these issues "believes there is a big difference between a paper report and an electronic one." The committee's proposals draw no distinction between paper and electronic records. Public records are public records, regardless of format. Anyone can walk into a courthouse and ask to see a court file. If it's public and most of them are the clerk will provide it. Anyone can use the courts' Xchange record retrieval service and download court records through the Internet.
Neither are the committee members "in a frenzy to seal up information that has been public for decades." The committee recommends expanding procedural protections for the public when a request is made to seal a record. For the most part, the committee recommends no changes to the classification of public records. The sole area in which the committee recommends greater security is for some personal identifying information, and even here much remains public.
And the committee is not keeping its work secret "so as to not generate a lot of messy public debate." The committee encourages informed debate. That's why we opened our meetings to anyone who wanted to attend, including the press. That's why we invited stakeholders, including the press, to present their opinions and recommendations. That's why we posted our minutes on the courts' Web site and sent most of our working materials to anyone who asked.
But informed debate is not as one-sided as the editorial portrays. For example, the unrestricted access urged by the Deseret Morning News means that a juror's address, telephone number, driver's license number and Social Security number (for these are among the courts' records) would be reported on the Internet. The committee, recognizing that the privacy of the people who do business with the courts is just as important a right as access to records, recommends no change to the current law that keeps such information private.
The committee does not recommend that aggregate records (bulk data as opposed to single records) be kept private. The committee recommends that some aggregate data be public, some not, and that the process by which the distinction is made be streamlined. Neither was the committee's "first recommendation . . . to completely close access to most electronic records." We have never considered such a thing.
Comments
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:38 a.m.
- This weekend on TV 1:38 a.m.
- Birthdays for Saturday, July 11 1:38 a.m.
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza 1:37 a.m.
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his 1:23 a.m.
- Girl critical after run-in with train 1:23 a.m.
- Probe of death treated as slaying 1:22 a.m.
- Taylorsville man arrested in robbery 1:21 a.m.
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 1:20 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his
- Jazz down Oklahoma City
- LDS seminary principal arrested
160 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
99 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
By now you've probably read about the investigation that showed just how...
Sen. Scott Jenkins was name-checked by Jay Leno Monday night during his...
I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...
i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...
Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...
Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...
can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...
Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...
These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...
My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...
It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...
You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...



You can be the first to comment on this story.