Franklin County Domestic Relations Court Mandates Employee NDAs

Unusual move for a public court raises transparency concerns

Mar. 18, 2026 at 10:04am

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Franklin County Domestic Relations Court in Ohio has required its employees to sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), preventing them from disclosing confidential information related to court proceedings, parties, attorneys, and staff. This policy is unusual for a public court, as most courts rely on standard procedures like redaction and expungement to protect sensitive data.

Why it matters

The NDA policy has raised concerns about transparency in the public court system. While courts must protect sensitive information, some legal experts argue that NDAs can undermine public trust and accountability. This move by the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court stands out as it is not a common practice among other county courts in Ohio.

The details

Franklin County Domestic Relations Court employees must sign the binding NDA or potentially face termination. The NDA prevents them from disclosing any confidential information, even after leaving the court. Administrative Judge Monica Hawkins said the NDA aims to ensure public trust, as the court handles sensitive data like Social Security numbers and medical information. However, other county courts in Ohio, including Common Pleas and Municipal courts, do not require their employees to sign NDAs, relying instead on standard confidentiality procedures.

  • The NDA policy was implemented in March 2026 at the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court.

The players

Monica Hawkins

Administrative Judge of the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court, who implemented the NDA policy.

Kim Brown

Acting Administrative Judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, which does not require employees to sign NDAs.

Tom McLaughlin

Court administrator for Summit County's Domestic Relations Court, which also does not have an NDA requirement for employees.

Paul Pfeifer

Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice and current Executive Director of the Ohio Judicial Conference, who expressed concerns about the use of NDAs in public courts.

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What they’re saying

“The public expects the court to safeguard all sensitive information [and] ... it must have confidence in the court to maintain sensitive and private information responsibly.”

— Monica Hawkins, Administrative Judge

“I'm unaware of this being a common practice. I think it's pretty unusual. Transparency is vitally important in any public body.”

— Paul Pfeifer, Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice

“The NDA was always used in ways that I thought was evil.”

— Paul Pfeifer, Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice

What’s next

Lawmakers in Ohio have recently introduced legislation to prohibit local officials from entering into NDAs related to their official duties, in an effort to promote transparency. It remains to be seen if this legislation will impact the NDA policy at the Franklin County Domestic Relations Court.

The takeaway

The Franklin County Domestic Relations Court's NDA policy for employees raises concerns about transparency in the public court system. While courts must protect sensitive information, legal experts argue that NDAs can undermine public trust and accountability. This move stands out as it is not a common practice among other county courts in Ohio, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to confidentiality and transparency in the judicial system.