Confidentiality-ring work removes personal data from disclosed material that only a named group may read. CPR 31.22(1) is the rule behind it: a party may use a disclosed document only for the proceedings in which it was disclosed, subject to three exceptions. anonym.plus marks each identifier on your device, so the restricted material stays protected while the data comes out.
When this applies
A ring shields commercially sensitive and personal data during disclosure. The protection is not automatic once a document is read in open court, but CPR 31.22(2) lets the court restrict or prohibit use even then. Anything that arrived by mistake is separate again: CPR 31.20 says a privileged document disclosed inadvertently may be used only with the court's permission.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the restricted material in anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool flags names, accounts, and contacts.
- Local OCR reads scanned protected pages.
- Keep the confidentiality stamps and reference IDs.
- Swap or black out the confirmed identifiers.
- Save the clean material locally.
What you need to provide
- The restricted material (PDF, DOCX, scan).
- An operator (Redact suits protected evidence).
- Optional allow-list for stamps and reference IDs.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | covered individual → [PERSON] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | account data → [ACCOUNT] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | NINO in record → [NINO] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | +44 207 496 7711 → [PHONE] |
| Location | LOCATION | home address → [ADDRESS] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | DOB 1983 → [DOB] |
Compliance achieved
- Supports the collateral-use limit in CPR 31.22(1): a disclosed document is used for these proceedings only, subject to the stated exceptions.
- Anticipates CPR 31.22(2), under which the court may restrict use even after a document has been read to or by the court.
- Reflects the implied undertaking the rule codified, explained in Home Office v Harman [1983] 1 AC 280.
- Fits the redaction of irrelevant confidential material contemplated by CPR PD 57AD for Extended Disclosure in the Business and Property Courts.
- Keeps inadvertently disclosed privileged material separable, since CPR 31.20 allows its use only with the court's permission.
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Limitations & cautions
The ring's own order controls who may see the material and how. The tool removes identifiers; it does not interpret the order, decide membership of the ring, or judge a CPR 31.22 collateral-use question. Follow the order.
Frequently asked questions
Does a confidentiality ring replace ordinary redaction?
No. CPR 31.22(1) limits what a party may do with material the other side disclosed, while redaction removes the personal identifiers inside it. Rings and redaction usually run together, and the tool flags identifiers for either.
What happens once a document is read in open court?
CPR 31.22(1)(a) lifts the collateral-use limit for a document read to or by the court at a public hearing, but CPR 31.22(2) lets the court restrict or prohibit use even then. Clean copies keep your options open.
What if privileged material lands in the ring by mistake?
CPR 31.20 provides that a party who has inadvertently been allowed to inspect a privileged document may use it only with the court's permission. Quarantine it rather than redacting it into the working set.