record retention procedures

The following is a summary of the retention procedures maintained by Scariano, Himes and Petrarca.

It is the policy of Scariano, Himes and Petrarca to destroy general client files that are over ten years old.  We will retain original documents from these files before destruction which are wills, stock certificates, trust agreements, original deeds and original title insurance policies.  If the file is less than ten years old the file will be culled, checked for original documents and scanned into an electronic database and retained as an electronic file for ten years, the original documents will be retained forever.

The retention policy for tax rate increase cases is also ten years.  The same rules apply for these files as for the general client files with the exception of original documents retained forever which are; original signed filing certificates and original signed minutes.

Bond files have a retention period of twenty years and original documents held forever are; original signed minutes, original surety bonds, original official statements, bond transcripts, original signed general obligation bonds and tax anticipation warrants.

Files that have been scanned are maintained as an electronic file and can be accessed by any attorney of our firm for our clients.  We retain our electronic files for the years required for each category and when the time has expired they are purged from our system.  Original documents will be retained forever and never be destroyed.  The actual file will be retained for six (6) months before the destruction process commences.