Marin County Department of Social Services v. Donna S.

*1078 Opinion

Appellant Donna S. challenges two juvenile court orders restricting access to confidential case files in the dependency proceedings regarding her daughter Gina S. The first order directed appellant to return copies she had received from the juvenile court file and prohibited her from disseminating the records without a prior court order. The second order denied appellant’s petition pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code section 827 1 (section 827 petition) for disclosure of juvenile records. In affirming the order directing appellant to return documents, we conclude that although appellant is authorized to inspect juvenile court files, she is not entitled to make copies absent a prior court order. We find, however, that the juvenile court’s second order improperly denied appellant access to documents needed to pursue an invasion of privacy claim and therefore reverse the denial of appellant’s section 827 petition.

I.

Factual and Procedural Background

Gina was bom in July 1987 and was the subject of several referrals to child protective services beginning in 1992, when she was five years old. 2 In March 2003, respondent filed a petition based on allegations…