Hi,

Has anyone attempted to get a copy of their disciplinary council report known as a 'Report of Church Disciplinary Action'? I know that the most recent Church Handbook of Instructions (2010) continued to state that a copy of the report is not to be given to the member. This is despite various privacy laws in some countries - these include the United Kingdom's 'Data Protection Act 1998', members of the European Union under laws created from the EU Directive 95/46EC, and Australian under the Privacy Act. These privacy laws give individuals the right of access to their personal data.

Has anyone requested disciplinary reports in any way from any church authority?

I never stuck around long enough to view it. But, it was an option given me by the SP.

Closest I ever got to disciplinary reports was when I was on my mission as Mission Secretary. Mission President that was outgoing gave me a big, fat file and asked me to destroy anything in it that I didn't think was pertinent to the current missionary efforts. It was full of reports of disciplinary action including a missionary taking a shower with a branch presidents' wife, lesbians in the smaller branches, swingers, other piddling stuff. It was weird reading that stuff and throwing it into the shredder.

Ron

But you have some control over you Medical Records. Obviously the Church has more power than I thought. It must be true!

You can get a copy of it under various privacy laws. I'm afraid the USA doesn't have a privacy law but in the UK there is. It is this law that has allowed me to get to the point I am at - where the UK government office for data privacy has written to the church asking them to review my request for a copy of the report. It has taken nearly two years to date and the church solicitors have given me numerous excuses as to why I an not allowed a copy - but the formal legal view from the Information Commissioner's Office is that they have breached the law and they have been asked to explain themselves and review how they handled my request. If they continue in not recognising my rights they may be enforced to give me a copy of the report.

I recently came across a Jehovah's Witness that got copies of their disciplinary records from the Watchtower and Bible Tract Society under the Australian Privacy Act.

I'm hoping to have copies of my report in the next few months.