Ending the "Confidentiality Exception" to Due Process

Roy Hoffinger (Qualcomm) advocates Ending the "Confidentiality Exception" to Due Process.

ABSTRACT: It is time to end the "confidentiality" exception to according a Respondent due process. At the same time, prohibitions and measures to enforce against the disclosure by the agency of any party or third-party's confidential documents and information, except to the Respondent pursuant to a protective order, should be maintained and, if necessary, enhanced. The disclosure to competitors, customers, or suppliers of non-public business or technical information can inflict substantial harm on the disclosing party and perhaps its customers and suppliers. Nothing here is intended to suggest otherwise. Providing access to a Respondent is necessary as a matter of due process. However, no one other than the Respondent has a legitimate compelling interest in receiving such access.