The Oklahoma Supreme Court has agreed to take jurisdiction of a case by the parent company of The Oklahoman that seeks sealed divorce records of Oklahoma City mayoral candidate Ed Shadid.
The court said in a Monday order that the Oklahoma Publishing Company has the right to pursue records that a lower court sealed and that it is likely a similar case could arise again.
The court says the judge in the case agreed in 2007 to a joint motion by Shadid and his ex-wife to seal the record.
Justices Yvonne Kauger and Steven Taylor wrote that — with some exceptions — court records are public records and there is no provision in the state Open Records Act to allow parties to simply agree to seal a public record.
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