Can Texas courts seal or redact family court records and when can sealed records be unsealed?

Question

Accepted Answer

This question has been addressed in 2 Texas court opinion(s), including Mengistu Taye v. 3000 Sage Apartments. Labeling a motion as a 'Motion to Seal' will not grant you an automatic right to an interlocutory appeal if the substance of your request is merely the redaction of sensitive data under Rule 21c. To preserve the right to an immediate appeal regarding privacy, practitioners must strictly comply with the procedural requirements of Rule 76a; otherwise, the only path for immediate appellate relief is the significantly higher burden of a Petition for Writ of Mandamus.

Record Sealing

Can Texas courts seal or redact family court records and when can sealed records be unsealed?