Under Rule 12, public access to judicial records is balanced by what principle?

Under Rule 12, public access to judicial records is balanced by what principle?

• A. Full transparency with no exceptions
• B. Secrecy for all records
• C. Access subject to court's discretion with no guidelines
• D. Access defined by the rule with exceptions for adjudicative records

Answer: (D)

Rule 12 sets how much the public can access court records, but it also gives clear exemptions, especially for adjudicative records created or used in deciding a case. The idea is to keep proceedings transparent while protecting privacy, safety, and the integrity of the judicial process. So the principle is that access is defined by the rule with specific exceptions for adjudicative records. This keeps openness as the default but allows for necessary protections where releasing information could harm interests or the fairness of a case.

Rule 12 sets how much the public can access court records, but it also gives clear exemptions, especially for adjudicative records created or used in deciding a case. The idea is to keep proceedings transparent while protecting privacy, safety, and the integrity of the judicial process. So the principle is that access is defined by the rule with specific exceptions for adjudicative records. This keeps openness as the default but allows for necessary protections where releasing information could harm interests or the fairness of a case.