State-by-state guide:
Ohio
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2151.18(C) (Anderson 1998): The juvenile courts will compile a summary each year covering the preceding year showing all of the information for that year contained in the statistical record. The statistical record and the annual summary shall be public records open for inspection. Neither the statistical record nor the annual summary will include the identity of any party to the case.
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2151.35 (Anderson 1998); Ohio Juv. R. 27 (Anderson 1998): The juvenile court may choose to exclude members of the public from proceedings and admit only those persons with a direct interest in the case.
Ohio Juv. R. 37 (Anderson 1998): No public use shall be made by any person, including a party, of any juvenile court record, including the recording or a transcript of any juvenile court hearing, except in the course of an appeal or as authorized by order of the court.
Transcript release: The Ohio Supreme Court held that Juvenile Rule 37(B) does not prevent release of a transcript of a juvenile court proceeding where there is no evidence that the release of the particular transcript will result in any harm to the child involved. State ex rel. Scripps Howard Broadcasting Co. v. Cuyahoga Cty., 652 N.E.2d 179 (Ohio 1995).
Hearing before closure: The Ohio Court of Appeals held that before excluding press and public from juvenile court proceeding, a juvenile court must conduct an evidentiary hearing and determine whether the juvenile’s right to a fair trial outweighs the public’s First Amendment rights. State ex rel. Dispatch Printing v. Petree, 15 Media L. Rep. 2200 (Ohio Ct. App. 1988).
Access granted: The Ohio Supreme Court held that the trial judge had the authority to open to the public and news media a juvenile hearing regarding transfer of jurisdiction to an adult court. State ex rel. Fyffe v. Pierce, 531 N.E.2d 673 (Ohio 1988).
Probable cause hearing: The public has a First Amendment right of access to probable cause hearing in juvenile delinquency case, but not to portions of an amenability hearing regarding the child’s psychological, social and family history. In re N.H., 63 Ohio Misc. 2d 285, 626 N.E.2d 697 (Ohio C.P. 1992).
Access granted: The Press was given access to juvenile court proceeding to determine whether probable cause exists to believe juvenile committed murder and whether the act would be a felony if committed by an adult. In re Three Unnamed Juveniles, 14 Media L. Rep. 2312 (Ohio Ct. C.P. 1988).
Access granted: The trial court held that the possibility that there will be additional damage to the juvenile’s fair trial rights by publicity about a hearing to determine whether a juvenile should be tried as an adult was not enough to overcome the media’s and public’s First Amendment interest in an open hearing. In re Roberts, 13 Media L. Rep. 1427 (Ohio Ct. C.P. 1986).
Closed request denied: The Ohio Court of Appeals refused to issue a closure order, requested by juveniles, for a hearing to a determine whether probable cause existed to believe that allegations of delinquent behavior were true. State ex rel. Roberts v. Pierce, 13 Media L. Rep. 1142 (Ohio Ct. App. 1986).
Access granted: The Ohio Supreme Court held that a motion to close a juvenile proceeding must be accompanied by an evidentiary hearing. Any in camera evidentiary inspection must be conducted with counsel for the parties, the press and the public. State ex rel. Dispatch Printing Co. v. Lias, 628 N.E.2d 1368 (Ohio 1994).
Confidentiality: Once redacted, a minor appellant’s identity needs no further safeguards. The number of juvenile cases appealed, docket numbers, and text of the opinion with the minor’s name redacted must be released. Ohio ex rel Cincinnati Post, 604 N.E.2d 37 (Ohio 1986).
Access denied: Juvenile court proceedings are neither presumptively open nor presumptively closed to the public. The juvenile court, pursuant to Juv. R. 27 and Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 2151.35, can restrict public access to the proceedings if, after a hearing, it finds there is a reasonable basis for believing public access could harm the child or endanger the fairness of the adjudication and the potential harm to the child outweighs the benefits of public access. In re T.R., 556 N.E.2d 439 (Ohio 1990).
Access denied: A juvenile court should not summarily deny closure of a hearing where no party objects to closure and evidence is likely to be presented that will be psychologically damaging to an abused child if made public. In re Joanne M., 659 N.E.2d 864 (Ohio 1995).
Right of parental access: An indigent parent has a right to a transcript of proceedings for purposes of appealing from a state-instituted permanent custody action. State ex rel. Howard v. Ferreri, 70 Ohio St. 3d 587, 639 N.E.2d 1189 (1994).
Access granted: The Supreme Court of Ohio ordered the disclosure of juvenile criminal justice records, including records pertaining to the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court and records regarding alleged child abuse by staff members of the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Detention Center. The Court stated, "One of the salutary purposes of the Public Records Law is to ensure accountability of government to those being governed." Ohio ex rel. Strothers v. Wertheim, 684 N.E.2d 1239 (Ohio 1997).
Records involving allegations of child abuse: In general, records and reports compiled by the Department of Human Services and the Children’s Services Board, in relation to an allegation of sexual abuse of a child, are confidential and privileged. However, these records are not absolutely confidential. Permission to view records will be granted on a showing of "good cause," which incorporates the concept of the best interest of the child. In re: Meghan Henderson, No. 96-L-0068, 1997 Ohio App. LEXIS 5333 (Ohio Ct. App. Nov. 28, 1997).