Before filing a transcript, redact the personal identifiers your court's rules list. In federal civil cases, Rule 5.2 leaves only the last four digits of a Social Security or taxpayer number, the year of a birth date, a minor's initials, and the last four digits of a financial account number. Federal criminal Rule 49.1 adds home addresses, reduced to city and state. California Rule of Court 1.201 covers Social Security and financial account numbers, leaving the last four digits. The filer, not the clerk, is responsible.
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| Federal civil (FRCP 5.2) | Federal criminal (FRCrP 49.1) | California (CRC 1.201) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social Security or taxpayer number | Last four digits | Last four digits | Social Security: last four digits |
| Financial account number | Last four digits | Last four digits | Last four digits |
| Birth date | Year only | Year only | Not listed |
| Name of a minor | Initials only | Initials only | Not listed |
| Home address | Not listed | City and state only | Not listed |
From the rules' text, checked 27 October 2026. Each applies unless the court orders otherwise, and each has exemptions; other states have their own rules. Sources: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, rule 5.2, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 49.1, California Rules of Court, rule 1.201.
In a recording, people read out card numbers, give their date of birth to an officer, or name their children. In a transcript those become text in a public file. Read the transcript for them specifically before filing, including numbers spoken as words.
With Mask Social Security and card numbers on, the Court PDF and Word file reduce numbers shaped like a Social Security number to XXX-XX- and their last four digits, and card-length numbers to their last four digits. Birth dates, minors' names, home addresses, other account numbers and anything spoken as words are not detected: redact those by hand in the Court transcript box before exporting.
California rule 1.201(b) says the parties and their attorneys are solely responsible for redacting, and the clerk does not check. The federal rules put the duty on the filer too.
Sources: Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, rule 5.2; Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, rule 49.1; California Rules of Court, rule 1.201.
Last reviewed 27 October 2026. Not legal advice.
Under Rule 5.2, all but the last four digits of Social Security, taxpayer and financial account numbers, all but the year of birth dates, and minors' names except initials. Criminal Rule 49.1 adds home addresses, except city and state.
California Rule of Court 1.201 requires Social Security numbers and financial account numbers to be left out or redacted to their last four digits, unless the law or the court says otherwise.
It masks Social Security numbers and card-length numbers to their last four digits. Everything else must be redacted by hand before exporting.
No. In California, rule 1.201(b) makes the parties and attorneys solely responsible.