Secret Dockets

A new threat to the rule of law came to light in 2003 - secret dockets. Sometimes called dual dockets, the practice is one of holding a case without listing it on the normal docket or allowing the parties to disclose the case to the public.

See the instances of this practice in the U.S. Southern District of Florida and the 11th Circuit described by a series of brilliant articles by Dan Christensen of the Miami-based Daily Business Review below:

	March 12, 2003 - Secrecy Within
	May 12, 2003 - Federal Court in Florida Hides Cases From Public
	May 22, 2003 - Secrecy Under Fire
	September 25, 2003 - Secrecy Appealed
	November 5, 2003 - Plea for Openness
	December 2, 2003 - Scrutinizing 'Supersealed' Cases
	December 31, 2003 - Journalists Ask Courts to End Secret Dockets
	January 7, 2004 - Feds File Sealed Response in Secrecy Case

See also:

	January 2, 2004 - Press release from The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
	November 3, 2003 - Amicus Curiae brief of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
	January 8, 2004 - Ann W. O'Neill - Sun Sentinal - "Miami federal court has 'secret docket' to keep some cases hidden from public"

Last saved on: 01/09/2005

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