§ 9-122 — COVID-19 emergency sealing of court file

(a) As used in this Section, "COVID-19 emergency and economic recovery period" means the period beginning on March 9, 2020, when the Governor issued the first disaster proclamation for the State to address the circumstances related to COVID-19, and ending on March 31, 2022. (b) The court file shall be sealed upon the commencement of any residential eviction action during the COVID-19 emergency and economic recovery period. If a residential eviction action filed during the COVID-19 emergency and economic recovery period is pending on the effective date of this Act and is not sealed, the court shall order the sealing of the court file. In accordance with Section 9-121.5, no sealed court file, sealed under this Section, shall be disseminated. (c) If the court enters a judgment in favor of the landlord, the court may also enter an order to unseal the court file under this Section. A court shall order the court file to be unsealed if: (1) the action is not based in whole or in part on the nonpayment of rent during the COVID-19 emergency and economic recovery period; and (2) The requirements of subsection (b) or (c) of Section 9-121.5 have not been met. (d) Subsections (d) through (h) of Section 9-121.5 shall also be applicable and incorporated into this Section.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-5, eff. 5-17-21.)