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Pennsylvania v. Ritchie
Supreme Court of the United States (1987) | 94 L. Ed. 2d 40; 107 S. Ct. 989; 480 U.S. 39; 1987 U.S. LEXIS 558; 55 U.S.L.W. 4180
TL;DR: A criminal defendant sought access to confidential child abuse agency files to aid his defense. The Court held that while he had no right to search the files himself, due process required a judge to review them *in camera* for material, exculpatory evidence.
Legal Significance: Establishes that a criminal defendant's due process right to material exculpatory evidence (*Brady*) requires a trial court's *in camera* review of privileged state records, balancing the defendant's rights against the state's interest in confidentiality.