Unpublishing requests

Our starting point

Our archive is a public record of what happened in court, so we do not remove stories lightly. But a story about an arrest or charge can do lasting harm to someone whose case ended in their favor. We weigh the public's interest in the record against that harm, case by case.

What we will consider

• Charges dismissed, or the person acquitted. We will update the story and the case page to report the outcome prominently. For minor offenses, we may also remove the person's name.
• A record sealed or expunged by a court. We will review the story and will usually remove the person's name.
• Conviction overturned or the person exonerated. We will update every story about the case and may write a new one.
• A credible risk to someone's safety. We will act quickly to remove identifying details.
• Minor offenses from years ago involving people who are not public figures.

We generally will not anonymize stories about public officials acting in their official roles, serious violent crimes that ended in conviction, or cases of continuing public importance.

What happens to the story

When we remove a name, the story stays online with an editor's note explaining that we updated it under this policy, and we ask search engines not to show it. In rare cases we take a story down entirely, and we keep a record of that decision.

How to ask

Email hello@bench-watch.org with the link to the story, what you are asking us to change, and any supporting documents, such as a dismissal order or an expungement order. We aim to respond within 30 days. We never charge for any change, and anyone who asks you for money to remove a Bench Watch story does not represent us.