Rule 12 - Requests for Confidentiality of Case Records; Access to Case Records(1) Supreme Court Records Subject to Public Inspection.(a) General Rule. In all cases in which relief is sought in the supreme court, all pleadings, docketed entries, and filings related thereto (hereinafter referred to as "case records") shall be available for public inspection unless otherwise ordered by the court in accordance with this rule.(b) Exceptions. The following categories of case records are not available for public inspection: (1) records of juvenile cases, including cases of delinquency, abuse or neglect, children in need of services, termination of parental rights, and adoption, which by statute are confidential;(2) records of guardianship cases filed under RSA chapter 463, but only to the extent that such records relate to the personal history or circumstances of the minor and the minor's family, see RSA 463:9;(3) records of guardianship cases filed under RSA chapter 464-A, but only to the extent that such records directly relate to alleged specific functional limitations of the proposed ward, see RSA 464-A:8;(4) applications for a grand jury and grand jury records, which by statute and common law are confidential;(5) records of other cases that are confidential by statute, administrative or court rule, or court order.(c) Burden of Proof. The burden of proving that a case record or a portion of a case record should be confidential rests with the party or person seeking confidentiality.(d) Notwithstanding anything in this rule to the contrary, the supreme court may make public any order or opinion of the supreme court dismissing, declining, summarily disposing of, or deciding any case. Information which would compromise the court's determination of confidentiality, e.g., the name of a juvenile, shall be omitted or replaced by a descriptive term.(2) Procedure For Requesting Confidentiality of a Case Record or a Portion of a Case Record in a Supreme Court Case.(a) Case Record or Portion of Case Record That Has Already Been Determined to be Confidential. The appealing party shall indicate on the notice of appeal form or in the appeal document, e.g., appeal from administrative agency, that the case record or a portion of the case record was determined to be confidential by the trial court, administrative agency, or other tribunal, and shall cite the authority for confidentiality, e.g., the statute, administrative or court rule, or court order providing for confidentiality. Upon filing, the portion of the case record determined to be confidential by the trial court, administrative agency, or other tribunal shall remain confidential, unless and until the court determines on its own motion or the motion of a party that there is no statute, administrative or court rule, or other compelling interest that requires that the case record or portion of the case record be kept confidential. Whenever a party files a pleading or other document that is confidential in part or in its entirety, the party shall identify, by cover letter or otherwise, in a conspicuous manner, the portion of the materials filed that is confidential.(b) Cases in Which There Has Been No Prior Determination of Confidentiality. The following procedure shall be followed when a party or other person with standing seeks to have the case record or a portion of the case record determined to be confidential by the supreme court: (1) Any party or other person with standing who seeks a determination that a case record or a portion of a case record is confidential shall file a motion to seal the case record or the portion of the case record in question. The motion shall state the authority for confidentiality, i.e., the statute, administrative or court rule providing for confidentiality, or the privacy interest or circumstance that requires confidentiality. Upon filing of the motion to seal, the case record or the portion of the case record which is the subject of the motion shall be kept confidential pending a ruling on the motion.(2) Within 30 days of filing, a motion to seal will be reviewed by a single justice of the court who shall determine whether the case record or the portion of the case record that is the subject of the motion shall be confidential or who may refer the motion to the full court for a ruling.(3) An order will be issued setting forth the ruling on the motion to seal.(c) Court Action When Confidentiality is Required.(1) The failure of a party or other person with standing to request that a case record or a portion of a case record be confidential shall not preclude the court from determining on its own motion that a statute, administrative or court rule, or other compelling interest requires that a case record or a portion of a case record proceeding be kept confidential.(2) Before sealing a case record or a portion of a case record other than a case record or a portion of a case record that was determined to be confidential by the trial court, administrative agency, or other tribunal, a single justice or the court shall determine that there is a basis for keeping the case record confidential.(3) If a single justice or the court determines that a case record or a portion of a case record should be confidential, an order will be issued setting forth the ruling.(d) Access to Supreme Court Orders On Confidentiality. Every order of the supreme court that a case record or a portion of a case record is confidential shall be available for public inspection. Information which would compromise the court's determination of confidentiality, e.g., the name of a juvenile, shall be redacted.(3) Procedure For Seeking Access To Case Records That Have Been Determined to be Confidential.(a) A person who is neither a party nor counsel in a case and who seeks access to a case record or portion of a case record that has been determined to be confidential shall file a petition with the court requesting access to the record in question.(b) Upon receipt of the petition, an order of notice shall be issued to all parties and other persons with standing in the case.(c) A single justice of the supreme court or a judicial referee appointed by the court shall examine the case record in question to determine whether there is a basis for nondisclosure.(d) An order shall be issued setting forth the justice's or referee's ruling on the petition, which shall be made public. In the event that the justice or referee determines that the records are confidential, the order shall include findings of fact and rulings of law that support the decision of nondisclosure.(e) Within 10 days of the date of the clerk's notice of the justice's or referee's decision, any party or person with standing aggrieved by the decision may file a motion for review by the full court.Amended Nov.10, 2015., eff. Jan. 1, 2016.