Remember this is the People's Republic of Massachusetts, the feudal lands and serfs of the Kennedys. The courts there are ,shall we say, politically oriented. Kerry's records will never be opened up before the election. Now if it were a Republican candidate, the records would be "outed" to the media before the first phone call from a reporter was finished.
Only Republican divorce cases or DWI cases may be opened to the media. It's like Teresa's tax return. Not to be made public.
The stonewalling could be a negative issue against Kerry in and of itself.
And while I agree that this type of thing should be equally applied, the truth is that Ryan decision was wrong. Sometimes, one of the advantages of settling a case, rather than going to trial, is to get the records sealed. If defendants in civil suits cannot be guaranteed that this seal won't be broken in the name of some nebulous "public interest", then settlements will be fewer (leading to more congestion in the courts) and for less amounts (just imagine the trial lawyers' outrage once they realize this).
So I vote they go for Big Drunk Ted Kennedy's divorce records next.