Sec. 5.5. (a) This section applies to a judicial public record.

(b) As used in this section, "judicial public record" does not include a record submitted to a court for the sole purpose of determining whether the record should be sealed.

(c) Before a court may seal a public record not declared confidential under section 4(a) of this chapter, it must hold a hearing at a date and time established by the court. Notice of the hearing shall be posted at a place designated for posting notices in the courthouse.

(d) At the hearing, parties or members of the general public must be permitted to testify and submit written briefs. A decision to seal all or part of a public record must be based on findings of fact and conclusions of law, showing that the remedial benefits to be gained by effectuating the public policy of the state declared in section 1 of this chapter are outweighed by proof by a preponderance of the evidence by the person seeking the sealing of the record that:

(1) a public interest will be secured by sealing the record;

(2) dissemination of the information contained in the record will create a serious and imminent danger to that public interest;

(3) any prejudicial effect created by dissemination of the information cannot be avoided by any reasonable method other than sealing the record;

(4) there is a substantial probability that sealing the record will be effective in protecting the public interest against the perceived danger; and

(5) it is reasonably necessary for the record to remain sealed for a period of time.

Sealed records shall be unsealed at the earliest possible time after the circumstances necessitating the sealing of the records no longer exist.

As added by P.L.54-1985, SEC.4. Amended by P.L.68-1987, SEC.1.