Q: I am struggling to get the court records from my divorce proceeding. What should I do?
A: With respect to your court record, you should be able to access this record from the court where your case in pending (which sounds like Sacramento Superior Court). There is a presumptive First Amendment right of access to court records. Even if there’s some reason why your case has been sealed, it would seem that you, as a litigant, should be able to see the contents of the court file. You might want to contact a family law attorney in the Sacramento area to assist you in these efforts. If you cannot afford an attorney, you might be able to find pro bono assistance through one of these legal service programs in Sacramento County: http://www.sacbar.org/pro-bono.html
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP is general counsel for the First Amendment Coalition and responds to FAC hotline inquiries. In responding to these inquiries, we can give general information regarding open government and speech issues but cannot provide specific legal advice or representation. No attorney-client relationship has been formed by way of this response.