What does redacted mean in court (and on a police report)?
In court, redacted means parts of a document were removed or blacked out before it was filed or released, so sensitive information stays protected while the rest of the record stays public. A redacted court document is the public-facing version with the private parts taken out.
Why courts do it
It's a balance between open records and people's safety and privacy. The things that usually come out are witness and victim names and addresses, the names of minors, Social Security and account numbers, dates of birth, and informant identities. The court holds the full unredacted version, often under seal, and releases the redacted copy.
Redacted is not the same as sealed
A redacted document goes out with specific parts removed. A sealed document is withheld entirely. A filing can be both: sealed in full, with a redacted version made public.
On a police report
Same idea. A redacted police report has had personal details removed, usually the names, addresses, and contact information of victims, witnesses, or juveniles, before it's handed to whoever requested it. The incident itself stays; the identifying details go.
If you redact legal documents yourself
Make sure the information is actually removed, not just covered. Courts have released filings where the "redacted" text could be copied right out, which is exactly the kind of mistake that ends up in the news. Use a tool that removes the content and verify it afterward. Here's how redactions get reversed.