WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of the undersigned that the examination of sealed or expunged court files is warranted in certain instances, and

WHEREAS, permission to examine said files has been requested by the United States Department of Defense, and

WHEREAS, obtaining information from said files for national security purposes is warranted;

NOW THEREFORE, I, TERENCE R. PERKINS, Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, hereby order the Clerks of Court in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties to allow authorized representatives of the United States Department of Defense to examine sealed or expunged court files upon presentation of proper departmental identification and a signed Authorization for Release of Information form in substantially the form set forth in Attachment A (PDF).  A copy of such form shall be retained by the Clerk.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the provisions of this order pertain only to cases wherein the entire court file has been sealed or expunged. In the event specific portions of the files have been sealed, a separate court order from the presiding judge or Chief Judge is necessary to unseal the contents of said file.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that upon completion of the examination of the file and/or its contents, the Clerk of Court shall reseal any information which was unsealed for purposes of said examination.

TO BE RECORDED in Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns and Volusia counties.

DONE AND ORDERED in Daytona Beach, Volusia County, Florida, this 30th day of June 2017.