WPCx   /C3r1Wx;1^5CJ~k,?y)M RJw$uTjF3Hb8Q)ml<:G /ug04!p#p㻫mn#oݡt 3GyFBӏl`TB&!_T0?--h.+湉#4 ݃@ǩ*XרyHFjU?(< k]3i԰0U >V 0 0< 0<UJN 0^#UN % M ( N9 ^ ; wG 4K _ ma \  `&Times New Roman'  (MD Court System(0MD Court System .   6) 4Heading 1XXX    <:Default Para<:Footnote RefkIA`2WP TypographicSymbols#|x(r3$..       +X X+ +HP LaserJet 4200 PS0(9 Z6Times New Roman Regular X2 dS0:i+00U 3!..       +X X+ +  _       0p x (#X0R+ Q AccessRulesImplementationCommittee  Q InterimReport!DisclosureofVictimandWitnessInformationXvuXR    Q$May27,2005  H.` hp x (#X(#H Background  z   XCourtofAppealsChiefJudgeRobertM.Bellappointedarepresentativegroupofjudges, F  courtstaff,anddatamanagerstopreparetheJudiciaryfortheimplementationofthenewcourt , | rulesonaccesstocourtrecordseffectiveOctober1,2004.Thecommitteehelditsfirstmeeting  b  onJune9,2004.Thefullcommitteehasconvened10timesoverthepast11months.  H   X XThecommitteeinvitedJudgeAlanM._Wilner_Ԁtoarecentmeetingtoassistthecommittee   initsdeliberations.Hisinsighthelpedclarifyissuesthathadbeenthesubjectoflengthy   discussion.    X XThiscommitteehasprovidedguidancetojudgesandcourtpersonnelthrougheducational \ materialssuchaschartsonaccesstothefourtypesofrecordsasdefinedbythenewrules,anda B listoffrequentlyaskedquestions. (x  ^ XvuXXXvu    X&    IssueF  Ԍ D ЌXvuXXXvu  ': XThesubjectofthisinterimreportistheissueinvolvinginformationbeingavailablein  courtrecordsaboutvictimsandwitnessesinbothpaperandelectronicform.    Judge_Wilner_Ԁencouragedthecommitteetomeetwithasmallgroupofrepresentative r StateX XXXvu=XvuXXX sAttorneysandsmallgroupofvictimX XXXvu=XvuXXX srightsadvocatestodeterminehowvictimand X witnessinformationgetsplacedintocourtfilesandwhatisactuallynecessary,andtorevise @ localpracticesaccordingly.ThemeetingwaspromptedbyaconcernabouttheJudiciary'splans &v toremovetheautomaticblockonvictimandwitnessinformationinUCS,thedatabaseusedby  \ someofthecircuitcourts,becauseoftheabsenceoflegalauthorityfortheautomatic(as B opposedtodiscretionary)block.TheautomaticblockwascreatedattherequestofStates  ( Attorneyssometimeago.AllJudicialInformationSystemscomputersystemshavetheabilityto !  shieldthisinformationonacase-by-casebasis.Thecommitteefeltthatthecontinuedautomatic "! blockingwasnotconsistentwiththerulestheCourtofAppealsadoptedeffectiveOctober1. #"  X XSelectedmembersofthecommitteeheldthreesmallgroupmeetingsonApril20,May V% $ 10,andMay13.WelearnedthattheRulesCommitteewouldbeconsideringanamendmentto <&!% Rule161008topreventdisclosureofvictimandwitnessinformationinelectronicformatits "'r"& June24meeting.Wealsolearnedthatitwaspossible,iftheRulesCommitteerecommendedthe (X#' revisionandtheCourtofAppealsadoptedit,fortheamendedRuletobeeffectiveJanuary1, (>$( 2006.Thesmallgroupparticipantsaskedthatthiscommitteeleavetheblockonvictimand )$%) witnessinformationinUCSandjointheminurgingtheRulesCommitteetoadoptthechangein * &* Rule161008orasktheChiefJudgeoftheCourtofAppealstoissueanadministrativeorder +&+ pursuanttoRule161008toaccomplishthesamegoal.Thepriorityforrepresentativevictims ,', rightsadvocatesandStatesAttorneysistoaddresselectronicaccesstovictimandwitness l-(- _information.Aftersomeresolutionisreached,theywanttoreturntotheissueofaccesstothat  informationincourtfiles.   XRecommendation:Thecommitteevotedtocontinuewiththestatusquo(UCScategoricalblock b inplaceanddiscretionaryblocksavailableinDistrictCourtandEighthJudicialCircuit H systems)untiltheRulesCommitteefailstorecommend,ortheCourtofAppealsadoptsor . ~ rejects,theproposedrevisiontoRule161008,whicheveroccursfirst.Thecommitteetookno  d positiononthesubstanceofthelanguageitself.Further,thecommitteebelievesthatthe  J discussionaboutthislanguageshouldincludeconsiderationoftheavailabilityofvictimand  0 witnessinformationinpaperrecordsandshouldprovideanopportunityforpubliccomment.    +XXvu