Chief Judge Brian F. Kenney of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia entered an administrative order on April 22 restricting electronic access to sealed documents.
The order, Standing Order 26-2, means that sealed documents filed in the court’s Case Management/Electronic Case Files (CM/ECF) system will no longer be viewable or accessible electronically. This change affects how parties can obtain and serve such documents.
According to the court, parties who have a right to access a sealed document may still request a paper copy by contacting the Clerk’s Office. Because these documents are no longer available through CM/ECF, service must now be completed by other appropriate means as outlined in the Federal Rules of Procedure or as otherwise directed by the court. The court itself will serve and provide notice of sealed documents via paper mail.
The online version of the Court’s CM/ECF Policy Statement 6 is set to be updated to reflect these changes. Standing Order 26-2 can be found on the Court home page under News & Announcements and is also listed on its Standing Orders webpage.
These adjustments aim to clarify procedures for handling sensitive filings and ensure compliance with privacy rules governing federal courts.
