Sundquist

I. Introduction

This is an appeal by a “free lance” journalist, appellant Mark Heimann, from a minute order of the Mendocino County Superior Court denying his application to unseal the court records and open any further proceedings to the public in a long-running marital dissolution proceeding in that court, a proceeding in which one of the parties, respondent Vincent T. Lechowick (respondent), is a sitting judge in that county. We reverse and remand.

II. Factual and Procedural Background

The underlying dissolution action was commenced some years ago by Judith Lechowick, who is now named Judith Sundquist and lives in Oregon. *1409 Although her attorney appeared and joined respondent in opposing appellant’s application in the trial court, Ms. Sundquist is not an active party to this appeal.

During a June 3, 1996, hearing in the dissolution action, and in response to a motion by one of the parties, the trial judge (the Honorable Roy MacFarland) entered an order in the court minutes 1 closing the proceedings in the case to the public.

Later the same day, counsel for the couple’s minor children moved the court “to seal [the] record of todays [sic] proceedings, and [the]…