Pleading-batch redaction is the removal of personal data from a whole case folder in one run. Consistency is the point: the same party should carry the same label in every document, because CPR 5.4C(1) opens every statement of case in that folder to a non-party. anonym.plus processes up to 20 files at a time on your device, using a shared map.
When this applies
A case file holds many pleadings that name the same parties. Working one file at a time invites drift, and drift is what re-identifies people: a name masked in nineteen documents and missed in the twentieth undoes the whole exercise. A single run applies the same treatment across the set.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Point anonym.plus at the case folder on your machine.
- It scans each file for the identifier set.
- Local OCR reads any scanned pages in the set.
- A shared map keeps repeat parties steady across files.
- Review the summary and fix low-confidence flags.
- Save the clean set locally.
What you need to provide
- A folder of pleadings (PDF, DOCX, mixed).
- The shared label map turned on for steady results.
- An operator (Replace works well for a case file).
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | party across files → [PARTY_1] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | NI numbers → [NINO] |
| Financial | UK_BANK_NUMBER | accounts → [ACCOUNT] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | birth dates → [DOB] |
| Minor | PERSON | children → initials |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | emails → [EMAIL] |
Compliance achieved
- Cleans every statement of case in the folder before CPR 5.4C(1) access reaches any one of them.
- Supports the confidentiality duty in paragraph 6.3 of the SRA Code of Conduct for Solicitors 2019, which covers current and former clients alike.
- Keeps the set honest for the court, in line with paragraph 1.4 of the same Code: you do not mislead the court.
- Applies the integrity and confidentiality principle in UK GDPR Art. 5(1)(f) and the pseudonymisation measure in Art. 32(1)(a) across the whole folder.
- Treats a retained map honestly: the set is pseudonymised, not anonymous, and DPA 2018 s.171 makes deliberate re-identification an offence.
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Limitations & cautions
A mixed folder of scans and native files leans on OCR for the images, so review low-confidence flags. Keeping the shared map means the set can be re-linked; turn the map off when you need true anonymity, not pseudonymity.
Frequently asked questions
How does batch mode keep one party steady?
A shared map logs each person once, so the same party carries the same alias in every file across the folder. That consistency matters because CPR 5.4C(1) reaches each statement of case separately, and one missed mention undoes the rest.
Is a batch-redacted set anonymous?
Only if you discard the map. While the map exists the set is pseudonymised, and UK GDPR Recital 26 treats data that can still be attributed to a person as personal data. DPA 2018 s.171 also makes deliberate re-identification an offence.
How many pleadings can one run handle?
Up to 20 files per batch, all processed locally with OCR for any scanned pages, so client confidentiality under SRA Code paragraph 6.3 is never handed to a vendor.