Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-01277/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-01277-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 28:2201 Declaratory Judgement

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION,

Plaintiff,

v.

DANIEL L. FLAMM, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 15-cv-01277-BLF 

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S 

MOTION TO FILE UNDER SEAL 

PORTIONS OF THE AMENDED 

THIRD-PARTY COMPLAINT

[Re: ECF 83]

On February 10, 2016, the Court denied without prejudice Defendant’s request to seal 

portions of the First Amended Third-Party Complaint because Plaintiff, the party that designated 

this information as highly confidential, did not provide a declaration in support of the sealing 

motion. ECF 68. Plaintiff subsequently submitted the declaration of Talin Gordnia which 

provided reasons for sealing portions of the Third-Party Complaint. ECF 83.

There is a “strong presumption in favor of access” to judicial records. Kamakana v. City & 

Cnty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006) (quoting Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. 

Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003)). A party seeking to seal judicial records bears the 

burden of overcoming this presumption by articulating “compelling reasons supported by specific 

factual findings that outweigh the general history of access and the public policies favoring 

disclosure.” Id. at 1178-79. Compelling reasons for sealing court files generally exist when such 

“‘court files might have become a vehicle for improper purposes,’ such as the use of records to 

gratify private spite, promote public scandal, circulate libelous statements, or release trade 

secrets.” Id. (quoting Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 598 (1978)). However, 

“[t]he mere fact that the production of records may lead to a litigant’s embarrassment, 

incrimination, or exposure to further litigation will not, without more, compel the court to seal its 

Case 5:15-cv-01277-BLF Document 109 Filed 03/24/16 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

records.” Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179. Ultimately, “[w]hat constitutes a ‘compelling reason’ is 

‘best left to the sound discretion of the trial court.’” Ctr. for Auto Safety v. Chrslyer Grp., LLC, 

809 F.3d 1092, 1097 (9th Cir. 2016). “Despite this strong preference for public access, [the Ninth 

Circuit has] carved out an exception,” id. at 1097, for judicial records attached to motions that are 

“tangentially related to the merits of a case,” id. at 1101. Parties moving to seal such records need 

only make a “particularized showing” under the “good cause” standard of Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 26(c). Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1180 (quoting Foltz, 331 F.3d at 1138). 

According to Plaintiff, Page 3, lines 4, 15-17; Page 4, lines 2-3, 20-21; and Page 5, lines 

10-11 of the Third-Party Complaint reflect confidential information of Plaintiff and the ThirdParty Defendants. Decl. of Gordnia ¶ 4, ECF 83. These portions of the Third-Party Complaint 

disclose confidential business information and trade secrets that may negatively impact Plaintiff’s 

relationship with current and potential customers. Because this material is sealable, Defendant’s 

request to redact this information is appropriate under Civil Local Rule 79-5(b). The Court has 

reviewed the redactions and finds them to be narrowly tailored, as required by Civil Local Rule 

79-5(d)(1)(C). As such, Defendant’s motion to portions of the amended Third-Party Complaint is 

GRANTED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 24, 2016

 ______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:15-cv-01277-BLF Document 109 Filed 03/24/16 Page 2 of 2