Section 170-C:14 Confidentiality of Records.
Any other law concerning public hearings and records notwithstanding:
I. All hearings held in termination proceedings shall be in closed court without admittance of any person other than essential officers of the court, the parties, their witnesses, counsel, and representatives of the agencies present to perform their official duties.
II. All papers and records, including birth certificates, pertaining to the termination, whether part of the permanent record of the court or of a file in the department, in an agency or office of the town clerk or the division of vital records administration are subject to inspection only upon written consent of the court for good cause shown.
III. If any person shall violate any of the provisions of this section, he shall be subject to the following penalty:
(a) If the offense occurs prior to November 1, 1973, he shall be fined $500 or be imprisoned for 6 months, or both.
(b) If the offense occurs on or after November 1, 1973, he shall if a natural person be guilty of a misdemeanor, and any other person shall be guilty of a felony.
Source. 1973, 523:1. 1995, 310:175, eff. Nov. 1, 1995. 2003, 319:63, eff. July 1, 2003.