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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>85274</law_id><section_number>42.1-78</section_number><catch_line>Confidentiality safeguarded</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="42.1">Libraries</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="7">Virginia Public Records Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">records</span> made confidential by <span class="dictionary">law</span> shall be so treated. <span class="dictionary">Records</span> that by <span class="dictionary">law</span> are required to be closed to the public shall not be deemed to be made open to the public under the provisions of this chapter. <span class="dictionary">Records</span> in the <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of The Library of Virginia that are required to be closed to the public shall be open for public access 75 years after the date of creation of the <span class="dictionary">record</span>. No provision of this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the opening of any <span class="dictionary">records</span> ordered to be <span class="dictionary">sealed</span> by a <span class="dictionary">court</span>; however, upon a <span class="dictionary">petition</span> filed with the clerk, a <span class="dictionary">judge</span> may enter an <span class="dictionary">order</span> releasing any <span class="dictionary">record</span> <span class="dictionary">sealed</span> prior to January 1, 1901. Medical and educational <span class="dictionary">records</span> made confidential by <span class="dictionary">law</span> shall remain so after being deposited in the <span class="dictionary">archives</span>. All <span class="dictionary">records</span> deposited in the <span class="dictionary">archives</span> that are not made confidential by <span class="dictionary">law</span> shall be open to public access.</p></section></text><history>1976, c. 746; 1979, c. 110; 1990, c. 778; 1994, c. 64; 2006, c. 60; 2020, c. 773; 2023, cc. 126, 127.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
