Existing law generally provides for the confidentiality of information regarding a minor in proceedings in the juvenile court and related court proceedings and limits access to juvenile case files, as defined. Existing law authorizes only certain individuals to inspect a juvenile case file, including, among others, the county counsel, city attorney, or any other attorney representing the petitioning agency in a dependency action.
This bill would delete that authority and instead specify that the county counsel or city attorney representing the county child welfare agency or probation department may access juvenile case files. The bill would also authorize an attorney representing a party in a civil action or in a government claim in which a local agency, child welfare agency, or probation department, or an employee of one of those entities, when the employee is acting in their official capacity, is a party, to inspect and receive copies of a juvenile case file for use in the civil action or government claim. By imposing additional duties on local entities to provide access to these records, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Statutes affected:
SB 413: 827 WIC
02/14/25 - Introduced: 827 WIC