Judge defends sealing Clay divorce filing

St. Louis Circuit Clerk Mariano V. Favazza and Judge Margaret M. Neill (pictured) are defending the process used this week to seal U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay's divorce filings. Clay's wife, Ivie, who was not consulted about the sealing, issued a statement saying she hadn't been told of the divorce filing and questioning whether she could get a fair divorce proceeding in St. Louis. The case raises a number of legal issues, including: Is it appropriate for a circuit clerk to delay releasing a public record before a judge seals the record? Can a judge seal the file in a divorce proceeding without notifying the other party? Can a judge seal the file without giving specific and tangible reasons for doing so?