Maine to Review Sealed Cases of Divorce
In the wake of controversies involving sealed divorces court records and other cases involving prominent individuals in other states, the Chief Justice in Maine has ordered a review of cases in the Pine Tree State to make sure that such similar actions are not occurring there. A Bangor Daily News story detailed how Chief Justice Leigh Saufley has responded to discoveries in Florida and Washington that divorce, personal injury, wrongful death and malpractice cases involving prominent citizens were being sealed from public view. While Saufley said in the story that she would be surprised if Maine court records were being sealed by judges to protect public figures, she wanted to make sure that any cases that were sealed were done so for a good reason.
After it was revealed that several judges were closing the divorce records of judges and politicians, the Florida Supreme Court unanimously agreed in April that judges and clerks could no longer keep divorces or over civil lawsuits private from the public. In similar news, a newspaper review detailed how hundreds of similar cases were sealed in one county in the state of Washington. The story said that in order for a judge to seal records of a divorce in Maine, he or she must consider the importance of the case and weigh any harm that could be done versus the public interest in having the records open. We’ll keep you updated on any developments with this story.
