Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00307/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00307-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Contract Dispute

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

FRESNO, CALIFORNIA 

DENNIS BURTON, on behalf of himself 

and all others similarly situated, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, a Delaware 

limited liability company, 

Defendant. 

Case No: 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER 

Hon. Lawrence J. O’Neill 

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED BY AND BETWEEN Plaintiff Dennis Burton and 

Defendant Nationstar Mortgage LLC (together, “the Parties”), through their respective attorneys of 

record, as follows: 

WHEREAS documents and information that have or may be sought, produced or exhibited 

by the Parties in this action, as well as third parties, and non-parties, may relate to sensitive personal 

information, trade secrets, confidential research, development, technology, business plans or other 

proprietary information; 

THEREFORE, on good cause being shown, an Order of this Court protecting such 

confidential information is made on the following terms: 

Case 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-JLT Document 32 Filed 09/27/13 Page 1 of 11
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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

Purpose 

 1. This Stipulated Protective Order (“Order”) shall govern the designation and handling 

of all confidential documents and information produced in this action by any Party, non-party, 

person, or entity. 

 2. This Order has been agreed to by the Parties to facilitate discovery and the 

production of relevant evidence in this action. Neither the entry of this Order, nor the designation of 

any information or document as Confidential Information (as defined infra for purposes of this 

Order), nor the failure to make such designation, shall constitute evidence with respect to any issue 

in this action. 

Materials Covered and Disclosure Prohibitions 

 3. Any Party, or third party, non-party, person, or entity that is required to produce 

documents or disclose information in discovery in this case (the “Producing Party”) may designate 

such documents or information as “CONFIDENTIAL.” 

 4. A Producing Party may designate as “CONFIDENTIAL” any non-public 

information or documents produced to the receiving party (the “Receiving Party”) that the 

Producing Party believes, in good faith, contains information related to a trade secret, customer 

lists, non-public pricing information, non-public revenue and financial information, personal 

consumer information (including social security numbers, financial account numbers, or consumer 

credit report information) confidential research, commercially or competitively sensitive 

information, or any other information subject to a legally protected right to privacy. 

 5. Documents or information designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” shall be disclosed by 

the Receiving Party only to: 

a. The Court and its staff in this case and in any appeal, 

b. The jury in this case (if this case goes to trial), 

c. The Parties in this action, including any authors or recipients of the 

information as well as officers, employees, and in-house counsel of corporate 

parties who are actively engaged in assisting such counsel in this action, 

d. Counsel of record for the Parties in this case; 

Case 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-JLT Document 32 Filed 09/27/13 Page 2 of 11
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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

e. Secretaries, paralegals, and other such personnel employed or retained by or 

working under the supervision of said counsel, 

f. Outside vendors, consultants, investigators, technical advisors, and expert 

witnesses (whether designated as trial witnesses or not) employed or retained 

by the Parties or counsel and who are actively engaged in assisting counsel or 

the Parties in this action, 

g. Persons noticed for depositions or designated as trial witnesses to the extent 

reasonably necessary to testify, 

h. Court reporters engaged for depositions and those persons, if any, specifically 

engaged for the limited purpose of making photocopies of documents, 

i. Any other person or entity as to whom counsel for the Producing Party agree 

in writing or on the record, or whom the Court directs shall have access to 

such information. 

 6. For purposes of this Order, “CONFIDENTIAL” documents and information are 

referred to as “Confidential Information.” 

 7. Confidential Information shall not be used by the Receiving Party for any purpose 

other than preparing for and conducting the litigation in which the information or documents were 

disclosed (including appeals) and shall not be discussed or disclosed to any person except as 

specifically authorized by this Order. Any documents, information, deposition testimony or other 

materials subject to this Order shall not be used by the Receiving Party, directly or indirectly, for 

any business, commercial or competitive purpose whatsoever. The Parties shall not disclose 

information or documents designated as Confidential Information to putative class members not 

named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit unless and until one or more classes has/have been certified, 

unless such disclosure is otherwise allowed by this Protective Order. 

 8. All persons to whom documents or information designated as Confidential 

Information are disclosed are hereby enjoined from disclosing Confidential Information to any other 

person except as provided herein, and are further enjoined from using Confidential Information 

except in the preparation for and trial of the above-captioned action between the named Parties 

thereto. No person receiving or reviewing such Confidential Information shall disseminate or 

disclose it to any person other than those described above and for the purposes specified, and in no 

event shall such person make any other use of such Confidential Information. 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

 9. Before disclosure of any documents or information designated as Confidential 

Information to persons described in subparagraphs 5(f), 5(g), 5(h), and 5(i) of this Order, any such 

person shall sign a document in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto, stating that he or she has 

read and understands this Order and agrees to be bound by its terms and be subject to the 

jurisdiction of the Court for enforcement of this Order. 

 10. Disclosure may be made only to employees of a Party’s counsel of record under 

subparagraph 5(e) when it is required in good faith to provide assistance in the conduct of the 

litigation in which the information was disclosed. 

 11. Except as provided in paragraph 5 above, counsel for the Parties shall keep secure 

within their exclusive possession all Confidential Information that is received under this Order. 

All copies, duplicates, extracts, summaries, or descriptions (hereinafter referred to collectively as 

“copies”) of Confidential Information received and duplicated/copied by the Receiving Party, or 

any portion thereof, shall be immediately affixed with the word “CONFIDENTIAL” if that word 

does not already appear therein. 

 12. This Order does not apply to information that has been produced by the Producing 

Party without having been designated “CONFIDENTIAL,” disclosed by the Producing Party 

without having been designated “CONFIDENTIAL,” made available to the public or otherwise 

available for public access. In the event that a party obtains another party’s information from a nonparty source, and the party wishes to use that information in the litigation, the Parties agree to meet 

and confer at least three business days in advance of the filing so that the Party from which the 

information originated may determine if it wishes to seek confidentiality protection for the 

information in question. The unauthorized, inadvertent, or unintentional disclosure of confidential 

documents or information, whether during the course of this litigation or otherwise, shall not be 

deemed a waiver, in whole or in part, of any Party’s claims of confidentiality. To the extent that 

there is ambiguity or uncertainty as to whether certain documents or information should be 

accorded confidential treatment, counsel for the parties agree to meet and confer prior to the filing 

or public disclosure of such information or documents. 

/// 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

Procedures for Designation

 13. Designation of Confidential Information shall be made at or prior to the time of 

production of documents by stamping or marking the documents as “CONFIDENTIAL” in a 

location that makes the designation readily apparent. 

 14. Any information that has not been reduced to documentary form may be designated 

as Confidential Information by informing counsel for the Receiving Party in writing that it is 

“CONFIDENTIAL.” Any CD or DVD produced containing “CONFIDENTIAL” information shall 

be clearly marked on the face (non-recordable side) of the CD or DVD. 

 15. Deposition testimony may be designated as “CONFIDENTIAL,” in whole or in part, 

either on the record during the deposition or within thirty (30) days after receipt of the written 

transcript by the designating Party. Until that time, and unless otherwise indicated in writing or on 

the record, all deposition testimony shall be treated as “CONFIDENTIAL” to permit counsel for the 

Party deposed an opportunity to designate the deposition testimony as Confidential Information. If 

designation is made during the 30-day period after receipt of the transcript, all parties in possession 

of the transcript at the time of receiving the designation or thereafter shall place the label 

“CONFIDENTIAL” on the front cover of the transcript, on each or all of the exhibits and/or pages 

so designated, and on each copy thereof, upon notice that the confidential designation has been 

made. In the event that a Party needs to file a deposition transcript with the Court prior to the 

expiration of the thirty (30) day period set forth above, that entire transcript shall be treated as if it 

had been designated as Confidential Information. 

 16. To the extent that there is ambiguity or uncertainty as to whether certain documents 

or information should be accorded confidential treatment, counsel for the Parties agree to meet and 

confer prior to the filing or public disclosure of such information or documents. 

Use of Confidential Information at Trial or Depositions 

 17. During the time that information or documents designated as Confidential 

Information are disclosed in a deposition or hearing, any party shall have the right to exclude from 

attendance at the deposition or hearing any person who is not entitled to receive such information or 

documents under the terms of this Order. With respect to Confidential Information at trial, any Party 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

may move the Court for an order that confidential material be received in camera or under other 

conditions to prevent unnecessary disclosures. The Court will then determine whether the proffered 

evidence should continue to be treated as Confidential Information and, if so, what protection, if 

any, may be afforded to such information at the trial. 

Filing Confidential Information With The Court 

 18. Confidential Information may be used or submitted to the Court in connection with 

any filing or proceeding in this litigation pursuant to the procedures and restrictions set forth in 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 5.2 and Local Rule 141. If Confidential Information is to be 

submitted as an exhibit or incorporated in a pleading, brief or other material submitted to the Court, 

the submitting Party shall submit to the Clerk of the Court a Request to Seal Documents via 

electronic mail, U.S. mail, courier, or hand delivery pursuant to Local Rule 141(b). Such papers 

shall also be served on all Parties consistent with Local Rule 135 and 141(b). In addition, after the 

entry of an appropriate order by the Court, the submitting Party shall submit to the Clerk of the 

Court via electronic mail, U.S. mail, courier, or hand delivery a copy of the documents covered by 

the sealing order to be filed under seal by the Clerk as described in Local Rule 141(e)(2). Absent an 

Order from the Court to the contrary, filing under seal is required for Confidential Information even 

if the filing Party believes that the designation of the materials designated as Confidential 

Information was improper, provided, however, that the filing under seal shall be wholly without 

prejudice to the filing Party’s rights under Paragraphs 23 through 25 of this Order. 

 19. In accordance with Local Rule 141(e)(2)(ii), any paper copies of sealed documents 

that are submitted to the Clerk of the Court via hand delivery, U.S. mail, or courier shall be 

electronically filed under seal by the Clerk and then returned to the submitting Party. 

Disposition of Confidential Information at the End of the Case 

 20. No later than sixty (60) days after final termination of this lawsuit, upon written 

request by the Producing Party, the Parties shall assemble and return to the Producing Party all 

items containing Confidential Information in the custody or control of such Party or third parties set 

forth in paragraphs 5(e), 5(f), 5(g), 5(h), and 5(i) of this Order. If the Parties so stipulate, a party or 

third party may elect to destroy all items containing Confidential Information in lieu of returning 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

such Confidential Information. If any party or third party elects to destroy the Confidential 

Information it received, such party or third party shall send written verification to the Producing 

Party that the documents have in fact been destroyed. All documents containing or reflecting 

Confidential Information that also contain notes or other attorneys’ work product shall be destroyed. 

In addition, all summaries, extracts or compilations taken from such Confidential Information shall 

be destroyed. 

Modification of Order and Challenges to Designation 

 21. The Court shall retain the jurisdiction and authority to modify this Order at the 

request of either Party and upon a showing of good cause. Nothing in this Order shall prevent a 

Party from seeking additional relief from the Court to further restrict access to documents and 

information that have been and may be sought in this action, relating to trade secrets, confidential 

research, development, technology or other proprietary information belonging to the Party. 

 22. This Order shall be without prejudice to the right of the Parties or other persons to: 

(i) bring before the Court at any time the question of whether any particular document or 

information is properly designated as Confidential Information, or (ii) present a motion to the Court 

for a separate protective order as to any particular document or information, including restrictions 

differing from those specified herein. This Order shall not be deemed to prejudice the Parties in any 

way in any future application for modification of this Order. 

 23. Any Party (the “Notifying Party”) may at any time serve a written notice upon all 

other counsel of record (the “Responding Party”) objecting to a designation made by the 

Responding Party. The Parties shall attempt within fourteen calendar days from the Responding 

Party’s receipt of such notice to resolve any dispute in good faith. If the attempt is unsuccessful, the 

Notifying Party may move for an order challenging the designation at issue. During the pendency of 

any challenge to the designation of a document or information, such document or information shall 

continue to be treated as Confidential Information subject to the provisions of this Order. The Court 

shall make an independent determination as to whether any disputed information is to be protected 

from public disclosure. This Order shall not alter the burden of proof as to these issues. 

/// 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

Procedures in the Event of Unauthorized Disclosures 

 25. In the event of a disclosure of Confidential Information to a person not authorized to 

have had such disclosure made to him or her under the provisions of this Order, the Party 

responsible for having made such disclosure shall immediately procure the return of the material, 

and inform counsel for the Producing Party whose Confidential Information has thus been disclosed 

of all relevant information concerning the nature and circumstances of such disclosure. The 

responsible Party shall also take all reasonable measures promptly to ensure that no further or 

greater unauthorized disclosure of the Confidential Information occurs. 

Procedures for Inadvertent Failure to Designate 

 26. The inadvertent delivery of documents and information that could properly be 

designated as Confidential Information shall not be deemed a waiver in whole or in part, of any 

Party’s claims of confidentiality, and shall be without prejudice to the Producing Party. If a Party 

inadvertently or unintentionally produces any confidential document or information without 

marking or designating it as such in accordance with the provisions of this Order, that Party may, 

upon discovering its oversight, furnish a substitute copy properly marked along with written notice 

to all Parties (or written notice alone as to non-documentary information) that such information is 

deemed confidential and should be treated as such in accordance with the provisions of this Order. 

Each Receiving Party must treat such information as confidential from the date such notice is 

received. 

 27. Upon demand of the Producing Party, all copies of any inadvertently produced 

information that is subject to the attorney-client privilege, work product doctrine, or any other 

immunity or privilege (“Identified Materials”) shall be sequestered by the Receiving Party and shall 

not be disclosed or introduced into evidence, in this or any other proceeding, without the consent of 

the Producing Party. In the alternative, upon demand of the Producing Party, the Receiving Party 

may elect to promptly return or destroy Identified Materials. 

No Waiver of Privilege

 28. The inadvertent, unintentional, or in camera production of any documents subject to 

the attorney client privilege, work product doctrine, or other legal privilege protecting information 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

from discovery shall not constitute a waiver of the immunity or privilege. The Producing Party shall 

notify the Receiving Party in writing following the discovery of the inadvertent production and 

provide a privilege log for the documents it identifies. If such notification is made, such 

inadvertently produced documents (“Privileged Material”) and all copies thereof shall, upon 

request, be sequestered by the Receiving Party, along with all notes or other work product of the 

Receiving Party reflecting the contents of the Privileged Material. Upon the Producing Party’s 

request, the Receiving Party shall return, delete, or destroy the Privileged Material. 

 The Receiving Party may, after receiving notification regarding the asserted privilege, move 

the Court to dispute the claim of privilege. The motion shall not assert as a ground therefore the fact 

or circumstances surrounding the inadvertent production or the substance of the materials 

inadvertently produced outside of the information to be provided via a privilege log from the 

Producing Party. The Party asserting the claim of privilege or immunity shall have the burden of 

proof and persuasion to show the claim is proper. 

 The contents of the Privileged Materials shall not be disclosed to anyone who was not 

already aware of the contents prior to the request to return or destroy them.If any Receiving Party is 

in receipt of a document from a Producing Party which the Receiving Party knows is privileged, the 

Receiving Party shall in good faith take reasonable steps to promptly notify the Producing Party of 

the production of that document so that the Producing Party may make a determination of whether it 

wishes to have the documents returned or destroyed pursuant to this Order. 

 The Parties agree that the Court may and should adopt this agreement as an order of the 

Court as contemplated by Federal Rule of Evidence 502 and that it may be enforceable as any other 

order of the Court. 

 This stipulated agreement set forth in Paragraph 28 does not constitute a concession by any 

Party that any documents are subject to protection by the attorney-client privilege, the work product 

doctrine, or any other potentially applicable privilege or doctrine. This agreement also is not 

intended to waive or limit in any way either Party’s right to contest any privilege claims that may be 

asserted with respect to any of the documents produced except to the extent stated in the agreement. 

/// 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

Shipment of Confidential Information 

 29. When any Receiving Party ships any Confidential Information to others designated 

in this Order as authorized to receive the Confidential Information, the Receiving Party will encrypt 

the electronic data (if the documents are in that format) and supply the password in separate 

correspondence to the recipient, except as provided in Paragraph 19 above. If the document or 

information is in hard copy/paper form, the Receiving Party will ship the data using secure 

packaging tape via Federal Express, UPS, or comparable carrier, and retain a tracking number for 

the materials. If the Receiving Party learns at any time that unauthorized parties may have retrieved 

or viewed Confidential Information during shipment, it will immediately notify the Producing Party 

and take all reasonable measures to retrieve the improperly disclosed Confidential Information. 

Additional Provisions 

 30. In the event that a Receiving Party is served with a subpoena, court order, or any 

request from a third party that would compel disclosure of any Confidential Information, the 

receiving Party must notify the Producing Party in writing within five (5) calendar days of receipt of 

such subpoena, court order, or third party request. Such notification must include a copy of the 

subpoena, court order, or other form of request. The party receiving the subpoena, court order, or 

request must also immediately inform the third party who served the subpoena, court order, or 

request that the information sough is subject to this Protective Order, and shall cooperate with the 

Producing Party in order to give the Producing Party the opportunity to intervene and/or seek 

judicial protection from the enforcement of the subpoena and/or entry of an appropriate protective 

order in the action in which the subpoena was issued. 

31. In the event Confidential Information is inadvertently disclosed to a third party other 

than those identified in paragraph 5 of this Protective Order, such disclosure shall be reported in 

writing to the Producing Party within five (5) business days of the discovery of such disclosure. 

Counsel for the party who made the disclosure must make all reasonable efforts to retrieve the 

Confidential Information and/or to confirm that all copies of the Confidential Information in the 

third party’s possession have been destroyed. 

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STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER CASE NO. 1:13-cv-00307-LJO-GSA

 32. This Order shall remain binding after the conclusion of this litigation unless 

otherwise ordered by the Court, and the Court shall retain jurisdiction over all parties bound hereby 

or the purposes of this Order. 

 33. Nothing in this Order shall be construed to govern or affect the admissibility or use 

of any Confidential Information at trial or hearing in open court. Any requests of confidentiality or 

sealing of any hearing or trial is to be made to the judge presiding over that proceeding. 

Dated: September 26, 2013 

By: /s/ Steven L. Woodrow By: /s/ Erik Kemp 

 One of Plaintiff’s attorneys One of Defendant’s attorneys 

ORDER 

The Court adopts the above stipulated protective order. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: September 27, 2013 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 The Honorable Gary S. Austin 

 United States Magistrate Judge 

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