AB 1617: Juvenile case files: inspection.

Existing law generally provides for the confidentiality of information regarding a minor in proceedings in the juvenile court and related court proceedings and limits access to juvenile case files. Existing law authorizes only certain individuals to inspect a juvenile case file, including, among others, the minor, his or her parents or guardian, and the attorneys for the parties, judges, referees, other hearing officers, probation officers, and law enforcement officers who are actively participating in criminal or juvenile proceedings involving the minor. Existing law also authorizes some of those individuals to receive copies of the case file. Existing law requires a person who is seeking access to a juvenile case file that is privileged or confidential pursuant to any other state or federal law and who is not entitled to access the record to petition the juvenile court for access.

This bill would authorize an individual who is not generally authorized pursuant to specified provisions to inspect juvenile case files but received authorization from the juvenile court pursuant to a specified petition process, and who files a notice of appeal or petition for writ challenging a juvenile court order or who is a respondent in that appeal or real party in interest in that writ proceeding, for purposes of that appeal or writ proceeding, to inspect and copy any records in a juvenile case file to which the individual was previously granted access by the juvenile court. The bill would require the Judicial Council to adopt rules to implement these provisions.