A 1988 federal appeals court ruling in St. Louis also said court documents may be sealed only when necessary “to protect a compelling government interest” and when “less restrictive alternatives are impracticable.” The case docket is a public record, the court ruled, adding that sealing docket entries is “improper.”

Bertelson said in an email that Beach’s March 22 order sealing the case said: “The petition sets forth information of a highly sensitive nature relating to Jane Doe [a minor] and others. Case documents also might include her DOB, home address and other highly sensitive information relating to her and others.”

But the lawsuit was already filed anonymously, identifying the girl only as Jane Doe. It was filed by the girl’s mother who alleged administrators knew about the assault, suspended the male student for only three days and then allowed him to return to school with her daughter. The mother also accused Hazelwood administrators of failing to report the sexual assault to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as required.