2025 Session Last amended: 2024 session

§ 257.70 — Hearings and Records; Confidentiality

Plain-Language Summary

Paternity hearings and trials under the Parentage Act must be held in closed court, with only those necessary to the proceeding allowed to attend. All papers and records other than the final judgment are sealed and may be inspected only with the consent of the court and all interested persons, or by court order for good cause. In cases where public assistance is assigned or the public authority provides services, the public authority must not release private data on a party's or the child's location if it knows a protective order is in place and disclosure is not authorized, or if it has reason to believe release may cause physical or emotional harm.

257.70 HEARINGS AND RECORDS; CONFIDENTIALITY.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law concerning public hearings and records, any hearing or trial held under sections 257.51 to 257.74 shall be held in closed court without admittance of any person other than those necessary to the action or proceeding. All papers and records, other than the final judgment, pertaining to the action or proceeding, whether part of the permanent record of the court or of a file in the state Department of Children, Youth, and Families or elsewhere, are subject to inspection only upon consent of the court and all interested persons, or in exceptional cases only upon an order of the court for good cause shown.

(b) In all actions under this chapter in which public assistance is assigned under section 518A.81 or the public authority provides services to a party or parties to the action, the public authority shall not release private data on the location of a party to the action or the joint child if:

(1) the public authority has knowledge that one party is currently subject to a protective order with respect to the other party or the joint child, and the protected party or guardian of the joint child has not authorized disclosure; or

(2) the public authority has reason to believe that the release of the information may result in physical or emotional harm to a party or the joint child.

History:

1980 c 589 s 20; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 25; 1Sp2020 c 2 art 5 s 65; 2024 c 80 art 8 s 68,70

History: History: 1980 c 589 s 20; 1984 c 654 art 5 s 58; 1997 c 203 art 6 s 25; 1Sp2020 c 2 art 5 s 65; 2024 c 80 art 8 s 68,70

Practical Notes

When this applies: All paternity proceedings under the Parentage Act, and any action under this chapter where public assistance is assigned or the public authority provides services. Who this affects: All parties in paternity cases, and parties or children protected by an order for protection. Key points: Hearings are closed to the public. All papers and records (except the final judgment) are sealed and can be viewed only with court approval. The public authority must withhold a party’s or the child’s location data when a protective order is in place without authorized disclosure, or when release may cause physical or emotional harm.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes