Announcement Archive

Application of Policy on Privacy of Personal Data Identifiers

In the interest of full and open access by the public to the records and the dockets of the Bankruptcy Court, absent an order on a motion to file a document under seal, to file a redacted document, to redact a document, or to restrict access to a document or an applicable exception, the Clerk’s Office will not manually or electronically seal, redact or restrict access to a document filed with the court electronically or in paper.  Consistent with Bankruptcy Rule 9037 and the Judicial Conference Policy on Privacy and Public Access to Electronic Case Files, in an electronic or paper filing made with the court that contains an individual’s social security number, taxpayer identification number, birth date, the name of an individual, other than the debtor, known to be an identified as a minor, or a financial account number, unless the court orders otherwise, a party or non-party making the filing may include only:

(1)  The last four digits of the social security number and taxpayer identification number;

(2)  The year of the individual’s birth;

(3)  The minor’s initials; and

(4)  The last for digits of the financial account number.

This policy on privacy of personal data identifiers is subject to the provisions of, inter alia, 11 U.S.C. §§ 107 and 112, Bankruptcy Rule 9037, Civil Local Rule 79-5, the district procedure for Electronically Filing Sealed and Redacted Documents, and the Interim District Procedure for Motions to Redact.

This updated guideline replaces Guidelines for Valuing and Avoiding Liens in Individual Chapter 11 Cases and Chapter 13 Cases, dated September 10, 2010