Press Review Queue Primer Judicial Committee on Information - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Press Review Queue Primer Judicial Committee on Information Technology February 28, 2020 Meeting Paul C. Watler Jackson Walker LLP Counsel for Courthouse News Service

About Courthouse News Service • Nationwide news service o Reporting on civil litigation in state and federal courts o From filing through appellate level o 2,200 subscribers • Daily new litigation reports • Five in Texas o Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis Counties o Also suburban, other Texas counties

Texas Media Subscribers

National Media Subscribers

Other Texas Subscribers

Legal News: Best When Fresh • Same‐day access to e‐filings o Supports timely reporting on newsworthy litigation • Access issues o Texas e‐filing access often delayed o Clerk processing, acceptance o Dallas, Travis counties processing approximately 25% same day of filing in 2019 o Paper‐filing era: news media traditionally had same day, behind‐the‐counter access

Best When Fresh “Access should be immediate and contemporaneous . . . [t]he newsworthiness of a particular story is often fleeting. “To delay or postpone disclosure undermines the benefit of public scrutiny . . . . “[E]ach passing day may constitute a separate and cognizable infringement of the First Amendment.” ‐‐ Hon. Melinda Harmon, US District Judge CNS v. Jackson, (S.D. Tx. 2009)

Best When Fresh “Access delayed is access denied. Accordingly, the Court finds that the First Amendment guarantees a qualified right of access to newly filed court documents.” ‐‐ Henry Coke Morgan Jr., US District Judge, E.D. Va. February 21. 2020

E‐Filing Solution: Press Review Queue • eFileTx EFM software capable of PRQ function • Tyler provides in other jurisdictions on Odyssey platform • Provides access to e‐filings upon submission by the filer Excludes: o family law cases o sealed cases o auto‐redactions o other restricted‐access cases • Accords with case law o recognizing First Amendment right of access to newly‐filed cases

Courts Providing PRQ (or like access) • United States District Courts o PACER • California o Los Angeles County Superior Court o Santa Clara County Superior Court (Tyler) o Kern County Superior Court (Tyler) o Fresno County Superior Court (Tyler) o Monterey County Superior Court (Tyler) • New York o All e‐filing trial courts (currently 52 of 62 counties) • Nevada – Clark County Court (Las Vegas) (Tyler)

Courts Offering PRQ (cont.) • Georgia (Tyler) o Fulton County Court (Tyler) o Fulton State Court (Tyler) o DeKalb County Court (Tyler) o DeKalb State Court (Tyler) • Connecticut o All courts • Utah o All courts

PRQ Example (Fresno County) • Screenshot of e‐filed imaged complaint o Note: not file‐stamped by clerk

PRQ Example (New York State Court) • Complaint appears prior to review and acceptance by clerks o “Caution: this document has not yet been reviewed by the county clerk”

PRQ Privacy Protections • PRQ Access o Available only to authorized users o password protected o subscription required for access o Subscription subject to terms of use o Terms prohibit publication of sensitive personal data

PRQ Privacy Protections • CNS practices o Flag personal data to clerk o Do not post, publish • Pilot program o Subject to review after trial period

PRQ Privacy Protections • Texas PRQ access Excludes: o Family law cases o Sealed cases o Other restricted‐access cases E.g., trade secrets o Cases flagged in security review o Containing sensitive personal data

Texas PRQ Auto‐Excludes Sensitive Data • eFileTX log‐in

Texas PRQ Auto‐Excludes Sensitive Data • Filers must choose security review o “Security” drop‐down menu o “Auto‐Redaction”

Texas PRQ Auto‐Excludes Sensitive Data • “Security”—two choices: o “Contains sensitive data” o “Does not contain sensitive data.”

Texas PRQ Auto‐Excludes Sensitive Data • “Auto‐Redaction” – scans for sensitive personal data E.g., social security and financial account numbers o automatically identified for redaction

CNS PRQ Policy Goal • Adoption of official policy of Texas courts o Providing contemporaneous press access to e‐filings o Such as Press Queue Review Excluding: o Family law cases o Sealed cases o Other restricted‐access cases o Cases flagged in security review o Subscriber‐based o Terms of use protecting sensitive personal data