DISCLOSURE OF PRESENTENCE REPORTS, PRETRIAL SERVICES REPORTS
AND RELATED RECORDS
(a) Confidential Character of Presentence Reports, Pretrial Services
Reports, and Related Records. The presentence reports, pretrial services reports,
violation reports, and related documents are confidential records of the United States
District Court. Unless further disclosure is expressly authorized by order of the Court or
this rule, such records shall be disclosed only to the Court, court personnel, the defendant,
the defendant’s counsel, the defense investigator, if any, and the United States Attorney’s
Office in connection with the sentencing, detention/release, or violation hearing.
(b) Requests for Disclosure. Any applicant seeking an order authorizing
further disclosure of a presentence report or pretrial services report maintained by the
probation or pretrial services offices shall file a written petition to the Court establishing
with particularity the need for specific information in the records. Requests for disclosure
made to probation or pretrial services officers are improper. Except as provided in (c)
below, no further disclosure shall be made except upon an order issued by the Court.
(c) Exceptions. Nothing in this rule is intended to prohibit probation or pretrial
services from disclosing records without court order as is authorized by statute,
regulation, or formalized national policy.
