How are privacy issues being addressed?
A subcommittee of the Judicial Conference Committee was formed to study the issues and to create a policy regarding privacy. Amendments to various statutes, rules and forms will then be necessary to comply with the policy. The Judicial Conference has created a public website www.privacy.uscourts.gov – where a copy of the proposed policy is posted and where you can view the public comments that were made about the proposed policy. Based upon the recommendations contained in the policy, some changes will be made to the software, but the primary responsibility will fall upon the attorney to protect the client.
A subcommittee of the Judicial Conference Committee was formed to study the issues and to create a policy regarding privacy. Amendments to various statutes, rules and forms will then be necessary to comply with the policy. The Judicial Conference has created a public website – www.privacy.uscourts.gov – where a copy of the policy is posted and where you can view the public comments that were made about the policy. Based upon the recommendations contained in the policy, some changes have been and will continue be made to the software, but the primary responsibility will fall upon the attorney to protect the client. A new Official Form B21 is used to file the debtor(s) social security number(s). It must be docketed separately using the correct event so the information can remain private or unseen by the public. (Select Bankruptcy at the top of the web page. Select the Other category where you will find the Statement of Social Security event.) Sealed or Impounded documents should not be f
Bankruptcy cases have always been public records viewable by anyone requesting to see the case. However, there has not been the same ease of universal access that there will now be by having access to the entire case record via the Internet. Because of privacy concerns, the Judicial Conference adopted a new Privacy Policy. The Judicial Conference has created a public website www.privacy.uscourts.gov – where a copy of the policy is posted. Changes to the Official Forms and the CM/ECF software will go into effect December 1, 2003. There will be a number of changes. For example, a debtor will no longer have to provide the names and ages of their children on a bankruptcy petition. Also, only the last 4 digits of the debtor(s) social security number(s) will display when someone is viewing a pleading such as the petition. These changes will not be retroactive, however, so, they will not be effective for cases filed prior to December 1, 2003.
Related Questions
- What are the privacy guarantees going to be, and how will they be addressed in OSOS? Will there be a standard release of information form for everyone to sign or will this be addressed by the LWIB?
- How will federal privacy requirements be addressed when implementing health information technology?
- What Privacy Issues Should Be Addressed in an Employee Handbook?
