Hundtofte v. Encarnacion

¶1 Article I, section 10 of the Washington Constitution confers upon the public the right to open judicial proceedings and records. This presumption of openness, although not absolute, may be limited only by significant countervailing interests. In determining whether restricted access is justified, the trial court must engage in a five-step analysis in which the asserted interest is weighed against the public’s constitutional right. Because openness is presumed, the determination of whether restricted access is justified must be made on a case-specific basis.

*502¶2 Here, the trial court granted…