Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00277/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00277-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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____________________________

 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records

Rosemary T. McGuire, Esq. Bar No. 172549

Erica M. Camarena, Esq. Bar No. 227981

THE LAW FIRM OF

WEAKLEY, RATLIFF,

ARENDT & McGUIRE, LLP

1630 East Shaw Avenue, Suite 176

Fresno, California 93710

Telephone: (559) 221-5256

Facsimile: (559) 221-5262

Attorneys for Defendant, JERRY DYER CHIEF OF POLICE and OFFICER VAN DALEN 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSEPH PUCKETT,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CHIEF OF POLICE DYER, OFFICER VAN

HALEN, 

Defendants.

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CASE NO. 1:05 CV 0277 LJO DLB

PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING THE

RELEASE OF PLAINTIFF’S RECORDS

FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION

Complaint Filed: 02/24/2005

Trial Date: TBA

WHEREAS, the Court has ordered plaintiff to sign the authorization to release records

from the Social Security Administration, and 

WHEREAS, the plaintiff and City of Fresno believe, in good faith, that these documents

requested contains information that is: (a) confidential, sensitive, or potentially invasive of an

plaintiff’s privacy interests; (b) not generally known; and (c) not normally revealed to the public

or third parties or, if disclosed to third parties, would require such third parties to maintain the

information in confidence:

A. Social Security Number;

B. Identifying information (includes date and place of birth, parents’ names;

C. Monthly Supplemental Security Income payment amount;

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____________________________

 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records 2

D. Information about Social Security benefits/payments plaintiff received;

E. Information about Medicare claims/coverage;

F. Medical Records; and

G. Records from the file.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, that those portions of the documents described above may

be designated as “Confidential” and produced subject to the following Protective Order:

1. The disclosed documents shall be used solely in connection with the federal civil

case of Joseph Puckett v. Police Chief Dyer and Officer Van Halen, Case No. CIV-05-0277

OWW DLB, and in the preparation and trial of this case. Plaintiff is not waiving any objections

to the admissibility of the documents or portions of the documents in future proceedings,

including the trial in this matter. 

2. A party producing the documents and materials described above may designate 

those materials by affixing a mark labeling them as “Confidential Material Subject to Protective

Order.” If any Confidential materials cannot be labeled with the aforementioned marking, those

materials shall be placed in a sealed envelope or other container that is in turn marked

Confidential in a manner agreed upon by the disclosing and requesting parties.

3. Documents or materials designated under this Protective Order as Confidential

may only be disclosed to the following persons: 

a) Counsel for Plaintiff, Joseph Puckett, in pro per;

b) Counsel for the Defendants, Rosemary T. McGuire with the Law Firm of

Weakley, Ratliff, Arendt & McGuire, LLP.

c) Attorney, paralegal, clerical, and secretarial personnel regularly employed

by counsel Rosemary T. McGuire;

d) Court personnel including stenographic reporters or videographers

engaged in proceedings as are necessarily incidental to the preparation for the trial of the civil

action; 

e) Any expert or consultant retained in connection with this action.

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____________________________

 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records 3

f) The finder of fact at the time of trial, subject to the court’s rulings on in

limine motions and objections of counsel; 

4. Prior to the disclosure of any Confidential information to any person identified in

paragraph 3(d), each such recipient of Confidential information shall be provided with a copy of

this Stipulated Protective Order, which he or she shall read. Such person must also consent to

be subject to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court, Eastern District of California,

with respect to any proceeding related to enforcement of this Protective Order, including

without limitation, any proceeding for contempt. Provisions of this Protective Order, insofar as

they restrict disclosure and use of the material, shall be in effect until further order of this Court. 

Plaintiff and defense counsel shall be responsible for internally tracking the identities of those

individuals to whom copies of documents marked Confidential are given. Defendants will

advise plaintiff of the names and addresses of all individual(s) they wish to provide Confidential

documents to. Subject to each individual’s signature acknowledging that they have read,

understand and agree to this Stipulated Protective Order, the plaintiff will produce to

defendants, at their expense, a copy of the documents designated as described above. 

5. All documents or materials designated as “Confidential” pursuant to this

Protective Order, and all papers or documents containing information or materials designated as

“Confidential,” that are filed with the Court for any purpose shall be filed and served under seal,

with the following statement affixed to the document or other information:

“This envelope is sealed pursuant to order of the Court and contains Confidential

Information filed in this case by [name of party] and is not to be opened or the contents thereof

to be displayed or revealed except by order of the Court.”

6. The designation of information as “Confidential,” and the subsequent production

thereof, is without prejudice to the right of any party to oppose the admissibility of the

designated information.

7. A party may apply to the Court for an order that information or materials labeled

“Confidential” are not, in fact, confidential. Prior to so applying, the party seeking to reclassify

“Confidential” information shall meet and confer with the producing party. Until the matter is

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 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records 4

resolved by the parties or the Court, the information in question shall continue to be treated

according to its designation under the terms of this Order. The producing party shall have the

burden of establishing the propriety of the “Confidential” designation. A party shall not be

obligated to challenge the propriety of a confidential designation at the time made, and a failure

to do so shall not preclude a subsequent challenge thereto. 

8. Copies of Confidential Documents

Copies of confidential documents will be handled in the following manner:

a) Defense counsel shall receive only one copy of the “Confidential” documents

from the Social Security Administration. 

b) Defense counsel shall not copy, duplicate, furnish, disclose, or otherwise 

divulge any information contained in these confidential documents to anyone.

c) If for a justifiable reason, defense counsel in good faith reasonably believes she

needs an additional copy or copies for preparation of her clients’ case, including any copies for

court filings, she shall make a written request to plaintiff pro per or plaintiff’s attorney of the

specific number of copies of documents marked “Confidential” she seeks for production. Upon

agreement with plaintiff pro per or plaintiff’s counsel, copies of the documents will be made by

defense counsel, pursuant to the procedures of this Protective Order. 

d) Defendants shall be billed for the copying of the Confidential documents at the

City of Fresno’s cost. Should plaintiff also seek a copy of these Confidential documents,

plaintiff will be billed at the City of Fresno’s cost. 

e) Defendants shall maintain Confidential information with a red marking labeled

“CONFIDENTIAL MATERIAL SUBJECT TO PROTECTIVE ORDER”. 

f) If any document or information designated as “Confidential” pursuant to this

Protective Order is used or disclosed during the course of a deposition, that portion of the

deposition record reflecting such material shall be stamped with the appropriate designation and

access shall be limited pursuant to the terms of this Protective Order. The Court reporter for the

deposition shall mark the deposition transcript cover page and all appropriate pages or exhibits,

and each copy thereof, in accordance with paragraph 5 of this Protective Order. Only

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 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records 5

individuals who are authorized by this Protective Order to see or receive such material may be

present during the discussion or disclosure of such material.

9. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 3, confidential information

produced pursuant to this Protective Order shall not be delivered, exhibited or otherwise

disclosed to any reporter, writer or employee of any trade publication, newspaper, magazine or

other media organization.

10. Should any information designated confidential be disclosed, through

inadvertence or otherwise, to any person not authorized to receive it under this Protective Order,

the disclosing person(s) shall promptly: 

(a) inform opposing counsel of the recipient(s) and the circumstances of the

unauthorized disclosure to the relevant producing person(s); and

(b) use best efforts to bind the recipient(s) to the terms of this Protective Order. No

information shall lose its confidential status because it was disclosed to a person not authorized

to receive it under this Protective Order.

11. At the conclusion of this litigation, all documents, in whatever form stored,

containing “Confidential” information will remain Confidential, and if filed with the Court,

shall remain under seal. All parties also ensure that all persons to whom “Confidential”

documents were disclosed shall be returned to counsel for the producing party. The conclusion

of this litigation means a termination of the case following applicable post-trial motions, appeal

and/or retrial. After the conclusion of this litigation, all confidential documents received under

the provisions of this Protective Order, including all copies made, shall be destroyed

12. This Protective Order shall remain in full force and effect and shall continue to

be binding on all parties and affected persons after this litigation terminates, subject to any

subsequent modifications of this Protective Order for good cause shown by this Court or any

Court having jurisdiction over an appeal of this action. After this action terminates, any party

may seek to modify or dissolve this Protective Order by Court order for good cause shown or by

the parties’ stipulation.

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 Proposed Protective Order re: Social Security Records 6

13. The Court shall retain jurisdiction, even after this lawsuit terminates, (a) to make

such amendments, modifications and additions to this Protective Order as it may from time to

time deem appropriate upon good cause shown and (b) to adjudicate any dispute respecting

improper use or disclosure of confidential material.

14. No later than 45 days of receiving notice of the entry of an order, judgment, or

decree terminating this entire action, all persons having received protected information shall

destroy all Confidential documents .

Respectfully submitted, 

DATED: August 31, 2007 WEAKLEY, RATLIFF, ARENDT & McGUIRE, LLP

By: /s/ Erica M. Camarena

Erica M. Camarena, 

Attorneys for Defendant the City of Fresno

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: September 4, 2007 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

 UNI 9bTED STATES MAGI 0hie STRATE JUDGE

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