Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01426/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-01426-1/pdf.json

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

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

AAA ARIZONA, INC., an Arizona

corporation, 

Plaintiff/Counterdefendant, 

v. 

AMERICAN COMMERCE

INSURANCE COMPANY, an Ohio

corporation, 

Defendants/Counterclaimant. _________________________________

AMERICAN COMMERCE

INSURANCE COMPANY, an Ohio

corporation, 

Third-Party Plaintiff,

v.

D. James McDowell, an Arizona resident,

and Joanne Tenney McDowell, husband

and wife,

Third-Party Defendants.

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No. CIV 05-1426-PHX-SMM

ORDER

Pending before the Court is Defendant American Commerce Insurance Company's

("ACIC") Motion to Modify the Confidentiality Order (Doc. 113) previously entered by this

court.

The Order provides in pertinent part,

6. Except with prior written consent of the Producing Party, no Confidential

Material may be disclosed to any person, and copies of Confidential Material may not be

made by, maintained by or put in the possession, custody, or control of, any persons other than:

Case 2:05-cv-01426-SMM Document 163 Filed 04/17/07 Page 1 of 2
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a. Outside counsel of record for each party, their legal associates, their

paralegals and their office staff. For the purposes of this provision,

"office staff" shall include independent copying or duplicating services.

b. Outside experts and consultants retained for the purpose of

assisting in the preparation of this action or for the purpose of

testifying by deposition or at the trial of this matter; provided,

however, that prior to disclosing any Confidential Material to any such

expert or consultant, the party intending to disclose shall obtain from each

such person his or her signature...(Doc. 61)(Emphasis added).

In light of the fact that CSAA has informed counsel for ACIC that it does not

object to sharing confidential information and documents with non-outside director

witnesses, jury consultants, and mock juries, the motion is GRANTED insofar as

those individuals are concerned. (Doc. 121). However, as to ACIC's outside

directors, the Court finds that the potential harm to CSAA outweighs ACIC's

possible need for the information. The Court finds it significant that the parties

freely entered into this agreement with the knowledge that no Confidential Material

may be disclosed to any directors regardless of whether they were inside or outside

directors. Therefore, the motion is DENIED insofar as ACIC requests that its

outside directors be allowed to review documents and other information designated

confidential by CSAA, AAA-Arizona, or James McDowell.

Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED GRANTING in part and DENYING in part

Defendant American Commerce Insurance Company's Motion to Modify the

Confidentiality Order previously entered by this court (Doc. 113). 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED GRANTING the motion (Doc. 113) as to

non-outside director witnesses, jury consultants, and mock juries.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED DENYING the motion (Doc. 113) as to

outside directors of ACIC.

DATED this 16th day of April, 2007.

Case 2:05-cv-01426-SMM Document 163 Filed 04/17/07 Page 2 of 2