Rule 7.043: Reference to Certain Persons

(a)   Purpose. This rule establishes guidelines for identifying certain persons in an appellate case to avoid unnecessary trauma and to maintain statutory requirements of confidentiality.

(b)   Applicability. This rule applies when referencing any of the following persons in an appellate case:

(1)   a minor;

(2)   a person whose identity could reveal the name of a minor;

(3)   a victim of a sex crime;

(4)   a party in a protection from abuse case;

(5)   a party in a protection from stalking, sexual assault, or human trafficking case; and

(6)   a juror or venire member.

(c)   Reference. Except for certified district court documents required when docketing an appeal under Rule 2.04, any document filed in an appellate case and any appellate court decision must reference a person described in subsection (b) by the following:

(1)   initials;

(2)   pseudonym;

(3)   familial relationship or generic descriptor; or

(4)   juror number. 

(d)   Attachment or Appendix.  A person filing an attachment or appendix to a document must either redact the name of any person described in subsection (b) or must follow subsection (c) in referencing the person. 

(e)   Exception. This rule does not prohibit the use of a defendant’s full name in a criminal case unless the defendant is a minor.

[History: New rule effective August 8, 1985; Am. effective September 6, 2005; Am. effective July 7, 2008; Restyled rule effective July 1, 2012; Am. effective January 1, 2021.]