Supreme Court affirms public access to court records

The Supreme Court has turned down a request to keep an order private involving a couple in a legal dispute. The court stated that all decisions are typically made public on its website. However, they agreed to hide the names of the individuals involved. A panel of justices explained that it is important to balance personal privacy with the principle of open justice. In this case, they said the names could be masked but not the order itself. A lawyer representing one of the parties raised concerns about privacy, especially since both individuals are lawyers. The court responded that the couple's marriage was recorded and acknowledged, which cannot be erased. They highlighted that the marriage had ended and restricted the parties from sharing any photos on social media. This decision is part of a larger ongoing debate about the "right to be forgotten," which relates to privacy rights and public access to court documents. The Supreme Court established privacy as a basic right in a significant case in 2017. Some high courts have supported the right to be forgotten, suggesting that personal details in court records should be removed in sensitive situations. Yet, other high courts argue that judicial writings should always remain accessible to the public. This matter is in question with the Supreme Court reviewing two related cases. Discussions have also raised concerns about wholly removing judgments from public records and possible future effects. The Supreme Court has paused some lower court decisions and is expected to make a ruling soon.