What is required for unsealing a court record?

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Releasing a sealed court record relies on the parties' consent. When everyone with an interest in the record agrees that it should be unsealed, they sign a stipulation to unseal. That mutual agreement is then what the court uses to issue an order releasing the record. The idea is to balance privacy with the need for public access, and a stipulation provides a clear, agreed-upon basis for unsealing. If there isn’t universal agreement, other routes exist—such as a party or interested person filing a motion or the court acting on its own motion—but those require additional steps and justification. The stipulation from all parties is what typically starts the process toward unsealing.