Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00121/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00121-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:2000e Job Discrimination (Employment)

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1 The parties’ stipulation has been modified slightly by the

court, as set forth in the order below.

1

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

JOHN F. GISLA, SB #42829

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2740

Attorneys for the United States

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BERTRAM L. CLARKE,

Plaintiff,

v.

R. JAMES "JIM" NICHOLSON,

SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS,

Defendant.

No. 2:05-CV-00121-GEB-KJM

STIPULATION PURSUANT TO THE

PRIVACY ACT AND HIPPA;

PROTECTIVE ORDER1

Plaintiff and Defendant, through their attorneys, stipulate as

follows:

1. Plaintiff filed this employment discrimination suit

pursuant to Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq., alleging

discrimination and retaliation.

2. Pursuant to the rules of discovery, including the

automatic disclosures required by Fed.R.Civ.P.26, Defendant may be

required to produce personal information about other federal

employees, both current and former, and about third parties, who are

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not parties to this lawsuit. The parties acknowledge that such

personal information may be relevant to the issues raised in

Plaintiff's complaint.

3. The information requested is arguably protected from

disclosure by the Privacy Act, and by HIPAA (Title 45 of the Code of

Federal Regulations, Section 164.508). The Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. §

552a, prohibits any federal agency from

disclos[ing] any record which is contained in a system of

records by any means of communication to any person, or to

another agency, except pursuant to a written request by,

or with the prior written consent of, the individual to

whom the record pertains. . . .

5 U.S.C. § 552a(b). 

4. Pursuant to § 552a(b)(11), the parties stipulate to the

entry of a court order allowing the disclosure and use of documents

which are required to be disclosed, as set forth above.

5. The parties further agree to the following provisions of a

protective order. The following provisions apply to all personal

information about third parties and other federal employees

contained in the documents produced by Defendant:

a. Plaintiff and his agents and representatives shall

not disclose any personal information about third parties to any

other persons where such disclosure is not reasonably necessary to

the conduct of this litigation.

b. Plaintiff shall only use the information for matters

reasonably related to the conduct of this litigation, and not for

any other purpose.

c. If any of the documents disclosed pursuant to this

stipulation are marked as exhibits during depositions or attached to

pleadings filing with the Court, the documents shall be properly

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redacted to remove any personal information of a sensitive nature,

including but not limited to the following information: home

addresses, home telephone numbers and social security numbers.

WHEREFORE, the parties seek an order of this Court directing

Defendant to release to Plaintiff all documents that are subject to

release under the rules of discovery, and directing Plaintiff and

Plaintiff's counsel to protect the documents from disclosure as set

out in paragraph 5 above.

DATED: February 23, 2006 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

 By: /s/John F. Gisla 

JOHN F. GISLA

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for the United States

DATED: February 22, 2006 /s/George R. Kucera 

GEORGE R. KUCERA

Attorney For Plaintiff

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PROTECTIVE ORDER

For good cause, and pursuant to the terms of the foregoing

Stipulation, Defendant is ordered to produce to Plaintiff all

documents that are subject to the rules of discovery. Pursuant to

F.R.Civ.P. 26(c), Plaintiff and Plaintiff's counsel are ordered to

comply with the non-disclosure and confidentiality provisions set

forth in paragraph 5 of the stipulation. Additionally, at the close

of litigation, Plaintiff and Plaintiff’s counsel shall either

destroy the records covered by this protective order or return them

to Defendant. See 45 C.F.R. § 164.512.

DATED: March 10, 2006.

______________________________________

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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