Public Access Policy

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Effective October 15, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has amended the Public Access Policy. Previously, filers were not required to protect confidential information when a statute or rule required it to be included in a filing. Under new amendments, even when applicable authority requires its inclusion, confidential information must be protected. 

View amended policy (effective January 1, 2022)
View amended explanatory report  (effective January 1, 2022) 

Effective January 6, 2018, a new public access policy that governs case records of Pennsylvania appellate and trial courts takes effect. The policy governs access to case records by members of the public and provides guidelines for information that must be protected. 

The policy requires filers to protect confidential information by either or both of two means:  

  1. the use of a Confidential Document Form to protect certain confidential documents, and 
  2. the use of a Confidential Information Form to protect certain confidential information

Below you will find links to the official policy as well as forms and instructions that are available for your use in complying with the new policy.  The new policy is prospective, so forms need not be used to amend any prior filings.  Rather these forms should be used on filings after January 6, 2018.

Thank you for complying with the new public access policy.

Video series on Public Access Policy

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