93-11
Posted on Sep 14, 1993 in Formal OpinionsOpinion Letter No. 93-11
September 14, 1993
UIPA Does Not Apply to Court File Room Access
The UIPA does not prohibit the Circuit Court from imposing restrictions upon case files maintained in the First Circuit Court file room. The OIP concluded, based upon previous OIP advisory opinion letters, that case files maintained in the Circuit Court’s file room are non-administrative records of the Judiciary. The UIPA does not apply to “nonadministrative” records of the courts of this State. The OIP also noted that the Hawaii Supreme Court has recognized the existence of a right, under the common law, to inspect and copy judicial records.