You might want to check your ethics opinions, state requirements to help
inform your decision. In New Hampshire, for instance, attorneys are
required to maintain a permanent index of files destroyed (which is a
good practice regardless). This would rule out your option #1, as I'm
reading it.
What I'm considering is sort of combination of #2 and #3 ... In some
cases, parts of the file (e.g., original will pouches) may be retained
past the destruction of the balance of the file. In this case the index
would indicate those parts that have been destroyed and those that
remain. Also, the records system we are moving to (Interwoven) has the
ability to remove different levels of the index based upon your policy.
For example, we may remove index data at the subfolder/insert level when
a file is destroyed (there may be confidentiality considerations at this
level, for instance), but retain index data at redweld/expandable level.
Hope this helps.
David Eaton
Director of Records Management
McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton
900 Elm Street, P.O. Box 326
Manchester, NH 03105-0326
(T) 603/628-1274
-----Original Message-----
From: Records Management Program [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Purington, Steven
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 11:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Best Practice for Disposition?
I am looking for the best practice for disposition. Specifically, how
should we handle the metadata regarding records that are destroyed
according to our retention schedule? Metadata, in this instance, refers
to the index of records in our RM software. This is for a law firm. We
have come up with a list of possible alternatives. I will list these
below and hope that some of you can recommend what you believe is the
best choice. If there is a better way to do this besides what I list,
please educate me. Thanks for any and all feedback.
Upon destruction of the actual records, which of the following
alternatives is the best practice?
1. Destroy all information in the RM database regarding the records.
Leave nothing. This means that if anyone ever asks about the materials
in the future, nothing will be found.
2. Destroy all information in the matter, including the index, but leave
disposition documentation under the matter.
3. Change the status in the software to "Destroyed", which will leave
the file index but none of the content.
Thanks for any advice and assistance. We can see good and bad in each
alternative, so your ideas mean a lot to us.
<http://www.blackwellsanders.com/>
David Steward
Director of Records
4801 Main Street, Suite 1000
Kansas City, MO 64112
Direct Phone: 816.983.8860
Direct Fax: 816.983.8080
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Website: www.blackwellsanders.com <http://www.blackwellsanders.com/>
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