The Janet Steeper Profile: Biography, Children, and Current Whereabouts

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The litigation expanded beyond standard asset valuation into a major constitutional dispute that altered California jurisprudence. In 2004, California enacted Family Code Section 2024.5. The statute permitted either spouse in a divorce proceeding to demand the mandatory sealing of court filings containing financial information, bank accounts, or asset valuations to guard against identity theft and kidnapping risks.

Critics quickly dubbed the measure the "Burkle Law," noting that Burkle had contributed heavily to state politicians who backed the bill. When Burkle’s attorneys successfully sealed thousands of pages of records detailing his business ventures and tax structures, major press outlets, including the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press, intervened as third parties to challenge the law.

In May 2006, the California 2nd District Court of Appeal handed down a unanimous ruling striking down Section 2024.5 as unconstitutional. The court found that the mandatory sealing provision violated First Amendment protections guaranteeing public access to judicial proceedings. The decision established an essential legal precedent: personal wealth does not grant an automatic right to conduct divorce litigation behind closed courthouse doors.