There should be a record of who, what + when stuff was redacted...
There should be "guidelines" that were provided by the "hgher ups"...
Good faith redactions have a chain of compliance...
Every change will be documented...
FYI:
Redaction Codes and Declassification Protocols (National Archives):
The National Archives uses redaction codes to indicate why specific information in declassified documents cannot be released. These codes fall into three categories based on the document’s age and sensitivity:
For records under 25 years old: Redaction codes apply one or more of the classification categories from Section 1.4 of the Executive Order, including:
Military plans, weapons systems, or operations
Foreign government information
Intelligence activities, sources, or methods
Foreign relations or confidential diplomatic activities
Scientific, technological, or economic matters related to national security
Nuclear materials or facility safeguards
Vulnerabilities or capabilities of national security systems
Weapons of mass destruction development, production, or use
For records over 25 years old: Exemption codes from Section 3.3(b) apply, such as:
Revealing confidential human or nonhuman intelligence sources
Assisting in weapons of mass destruction development
Impairing U.S. cryptologic systems
Revealing active military war plans or operational tactics
Causing serious harm to U.S. foreign relations
Compromising protection of high-level officials
Exposing current national security emergency vulnerabilities
Special exemptions (Section 3.3(h)): Information may be exempt from automatic declassification at 50 or 75 years if it reveals:
Identity of a confidential human source
Key design concepts of weapons of mass destruction
Agency-specific exemptions approved by the Interagency Security Classification Appeals Panel (ISCAP)
Best Practices for PDF Redaction (Legal and Government Context):
To ensure effective redaction of legal or government documents in PDF format:
Use official redaction tools in software like Adobe Acrobat Pro (not standard version) or Redax from Appligent, which permanently remove text and metadata rather than just covering it.
Avoid simple overlay methods (e.g., black boxes or markers), as they often leave underlying text accessible via copy-paste or editing tools.
Follow the "Notepad method" for maximum security:
Replace all sensitive content with [REDACTED] in the original document.
Copy the text and paste it into Windows Notepad (which saves only plain text).
Save as a .txt file to eliminate hidden code.
Reopen in a word processor to reformat, then convert to PDF.
Always use the “Examine Document” function in Adobe Acrobat to detect and remove hidden text, metadata, or revision history.
Do not scan documents unless necessary; convert directly from electronic files to PDF to avoid image-based redaction flaws.
Legal and Compliance Requirements (U.S. Courts):
Federal courts, including the U.S. Courts of Appeals and district courts, require redaction of sensitive personal data under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5-2 and FRAP 25(a)(5), including:
Social Security numbers (only last 4 digits may be disclosed)
Financial account numbers (last 4 digits only)
Names of minors
Dates of birth (year only)
Home addresses (city only in criminal cases)
Final Review and Sanitization:
Before submission, conduct a final review to confirm all redactions are permanent and no hidden data remains. Use metadata removal tools and verify with software like Adobe’s redaction checker. The U.S. National Archives and court guidance emphasize that redaction is not just visual concealment—it must be permanent data removal to prevent inadvertent disclosure.
https://www.thetechsavvylawyer.page/blog/2025/12/25/how-to-redact-pdf-documents-properly-and-recover-data-from-failed-redactions-a-guide-for-lawyers-after-the-doj-epstein-files-release-leak
How to Recover Information from Improperly Redacted Files
Sometimes you receive a file. It looks redacted. You suspect it was done poorly. Here is how you can check.
Method 1: The Copy and Paste Trick
This is the easiest method. It works on the DOJ files.
Open the PDF.
Press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Cmd + A (Mac). (Or with your cursor, highlight the document area in question.) This selects all text.
Look at the redacted area. If you see blue highlighting shadow behind the black box, the text is there.
Press Ctrl + C (Copy).
Open Microsoft Word.
Press Ctrl + V (Paste).
Read the text. The black box will likely disappear. The "hidden" words will appear.
Method 2: The Search Trick
Open the PDF.
Press Ctrl + F to open the search bar.
Type a word you think is redacted.
If the viewer jumps to a black box, the text is still there.
Method 3: Adobe "Remove Hidden Info" Check
Open the file in Acrobat Pro.
Go to the "Redact" tool.
Look for "Sanitize Document" or "Remove Hidden Information."
Run the scan.
Reports will list "Hidden Text" or "Overlapping Objects." This confirms data is hiding behind the visuals.
* * * * *
The Ethics: American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules
Technology is easy. Ethics are hard. What happens when a bad file is sent? What happens when you receive one?
For the Sender (The DOJ Scenario)
You have a duty of competence.
ABA Model Rule 1.1 and 1.1 Comment 8 require you to understand your tools.
You must know how to redact.
Failing to use the software correctly is a competence failure.
Attorneys have a duty of confidentiality.
ABA Model Rule 1.6 requires you to protect client info.
Sending a "masked" PDF instead of a "redacted" one violates this duty.
It is a breach.
You effectively handed the other side the keys to the safe.
For the Receiver (The Attorney Who Finds the Info)
You received the Epstein files.
You copy-pasted.
You found the names.
Now what?
Lawyers: You have ethical obligations to redact documents competently.
ABA Model Rule 4.4(b) governs this.
It addresses "Respect for Rights of Third Persons."
It states: “A lawyer who receives a document... and knows or reasonably should know that the document was inadvertently sent shall promptly notify the sender.”
THIS IS THE KEY.
Is a failed redaction "inadvertently sent"?
Most ethics opinions say yes.
The sender meant to hide it.
They failed.
They did not intend to send you the hidden text.
Do you have to stop reading?
The Model Rules do not explicitly say "stop reading."
They only require you to notify the sender.
However, many state jurisdictions go further.
Some states require you to stop reading immediately.
Some require you to delete the file.
The "Metadata" Exception
There is a nuance.
ABA Formal Opinion 06-442 discusses metadata.
It generally allows lawyers to look for hidden metadata.
It views metadata as part of the file.
However, "un-redacting" specific text is different.
It is clearly privileged or sensitive.
The Bottom Line for the Receiver:
Stop if you realize it is a mistake.
Notify opposing counsel immediately.
"I received your production.
It appears the redactions are transparent.
Please advise."
Do not use it until the issue is resolved.
A judge will likely disqualify you if you exploit an obvious error.
Do not be the DOJ.
Learn your tools.
Sanitize your documents.
If you catch the other side making a mistake, follow the rules.
It helps to keep your license safe.
Todd Blanche, Pam Bondi + the DOJ should be quaking in their boots...
Their actions will have consequences.
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