March 2004
The Conference approved the requested specific guidance for the implementation of the amended criminal policy. Although the criminal policy has been amended to allow electronic access to certain case files, such access will not be effective until necessary software changes are completed. News Release
Visit uscourts.gov for the latest information regarding the effective date for criminal case file access. To view the current privacy policy for criminal cases, operational guidance, and model local rules, click here. (Links to policy.)
September 2003
At its September 2003 session, the Judicial Conference amended its 2001 policy regarding criminal case files to allow remote public access to electronic files as long as specified personal identifiers were redacted. However, the Conference deferred implementation of this new policy until it could review specific guidance for how the policy would operate in the courts.
March 2002
In March 2002, the Judicial Conference addressed several aspects of the privacy policy, creating a pilot project. The pilot project allowed remote public access to electronic criminal case files in 11 courts for study purposes, and established remote public access to electronic criminal case files in high profile cases if certain criteria were met.News Release (pdf).
September/October 2001
The Judicial Conference of the United States adopted the privacy policy recommendations, developed and endorsed by the Subcommittee on Privacy and Electronic Access to Case files, at its September/October 2001 session. These recommendations now represent official Judicial Conference policy on privacy and public access to electronic case files. News Release (pdf).