| State |
Court Records* |
Statute |
Summary |
| Alabama |
Closed |
| Ala. Code § 26-14-8(c) (LexisNexis 2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Alaska |
Closed |
| Alaska Stat. § 47.10.090(e) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Arizona |
Closed |
| Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 8-208(F) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Arkansas |
Open |
| Ark. Code Ann. § 9-27-309(a) (2006) |
|
Records may be closed within the discretion of the circuit court. |
| California |
Closed |
| Cal. Welf. & Inst. 827(a)(1)(A)-(O) (Deering 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Colorado |
Closed |
| Colo. Rev. Stat. § 19-1-307(2)(a)-(m) (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; the court may grant access for good cause. |
| Connecticut |
Open |
| Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-11 (2006) |
|
Records may be closed within the discretion of the court. |
| Delaware |
Open |
| Del. Code Ann. tit. 10, § 1063 (2006) |
|
Records may be closed within the discretion of the court. |
| District of Columbia |
Closed |
| D.C. Code Ann. § 16-2331(b) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Florida |
Closed |
| Fla. Stat. Ann. § 39.0132(3) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Georgia |
Closed |
| Ga. Code Ann. § 15-11-79(a) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Hawaii |
Closed |
| Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 571-84(a) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Idaho |
Closed |
| Idaho Code Ann. § 16-1626 (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Illinois |
Closed |
| 705 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 405/1-8 (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Indiana |
Closed |
| Ind. Code Ann. § 31-39-1-2 (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Iowa |
Closed |
| Iowa Code § 232.147 (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Kansas |
Closed |
| Kan. Stat. Ann. § 38-1505b(a) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Kentucky |
Closed |
| Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 610.340(1)(a) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Louisiana |
Closed |
| La. Child. Code Ann. art. 412(A) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Maine |
Closed |
| Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 22, § 4007(1) (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Maryland |
Closed |
| Md. Code Ann. Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-827(a)(1) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Massachusetts |
Closed |
| Mass. Ann. Laws ch. 209A, § 8 (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Michigan |
Closed |
| Mich. Comp. Laws Serv. § 722.627(2) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Minnesota |
Open |
| Minn. Stat. § 260C.171(2) (2005) |
|
Records are open to the public inspection; the court has discretion to restrict access. |
| Mississippi |
Closed |
| Miss. Code Ann. § 43-21-261(1) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Missouri |
Open |
| Mo. Rev. Stat. § 211.319(3) (2006) |
|
Pleadings and court orders are open to the general public. |
| Montana |
Closed |
| Mont. Code Ann. § 40-6-120 (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Nebraska |
Closed |
| Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 43-2, 108(2) (LexisNexis 2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Nevada |
Closed |
| Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 62H.030(2) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| New Hampshire |
Closed |
| N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 169-C:25(I) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| New Jersey |
Open |
|
Records may be sealed by the court. |
| New Mexico |
Closed |
| N.M. Stat. Ann. § 32A-4-33(A) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| New York |
Closed |
| N.Y. Fam. Ct. Act § 166 (Consol. 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| North Carolina |
Closed |
| N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-2901(a) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| North Dakota |
Closed |
| N.D. Cent. Code § 27-20-51(1) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Ohio |
Closed |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Oklahoma |
Closed |
| Okla. Stat. tit.70, § 7005-1.2 (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Oregon |
Closed |
| Or. Rev. Stat. § 419A.255(1) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Pennsylvania |
Closed |
| 42 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 6307 (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Rhode Island |
Closed |
| R.I. Gen. Laws § 8-10-21(2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| South Carolina |
Closed |
| S.C. Code Ann. § 20-7-8505 (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| South Dakota |
Closed |
| S.D. Codified Laws § 26-7A-120 (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
| Tennessee |
Closed |
| Tenn. Code Ann. § 37-1-153(a) (2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Texas |
Closed |
| Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 58.005(a) (Vernon 2005) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Utah |
Closed |
| Utah Code Ann. § 78-3a-206(2) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Vermont |
Closed |
| Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 33, § 5536 (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Virginia |
Closed |
| Va. Code Ann. § 16.1-305 (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Washington |
Closed |
| Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 13.50.100 (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| West Virginia |
Closed |
| W. Va. Code Ann. § 49-7-1(a) (LexisNexis 2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Wisconsin |
Closed |
| Wis. Stat. § 48.396 (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection; access may be granted by court order. |
| Wyoming |
Closed |
| Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 14-3-437(a) (2006) |
|
Records are not open to public inspection. |
