Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01316/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01316-2/pdf.json

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

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE, 

Plaintiff,

v.

CITY OF STOCKTON, 

Defendant. 

CIV-S-05-1316 DFL PAN 

MEMORANDUM OF OPINION

AND ORDER

Defendant and counterclaimant City of Stockton has filed an

Ex Parte Application for an order permitting it to file under

seal a Confidential Supplemental Memorandum of Points and

Authorities. Because the filing of documents under seal runs

counter to the recognized federal common law right of public

access to court records, sufficiently important countervailing

interests must support a sealing order. San Jose Mercury News,

Inc. v. U.S. Dist. Court., 187 F.3d 1096, 1102 (9th Cir. 1999). 

At least at this juncture, it appears that such interests are 

present in this case. The City of Stockton has a legitimate

interest in protecting the confidentiality of its business

information and the terms of its bid to provide ambulance

Case 2:05-cv-01316-JAM-EFB Document 89 Filed 09/07/05 Page 1 of 3
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 The court may eventually determine that the information 1

is not confidential. This issue is disputed in the pending

motions, and the court does not finally resolve that issue now. 

If the court does find that the information is already in the

public record, it will order the filing to be unsealed.

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services. The City of Stockton has made an adequate showing, for

purposes of this motion to seal, that public access to certain of

the information might give others an unfair competitive

advantage. Moreover, the public has an interest in maintaining

the competitive bidding process to provide public services.1

However, it does not appear that all or most of the document

contains confidential information. Accordingly, the City of

Stockton shall file a redacted, unsealed copy of the memorandum,

omitting confidential information. The redacted version shall be

filed within 7 days of the date of this order. For the above

reasons, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

1. The City of Stockton’s Confidential Supplemental

Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support of the Motion for

Preliminary Injunction shall be filed with this court under seal.

2. The City of Stockton shall file a redacted, unsealed copy

of the document that omits only confidential information. 

Redactions shall be indicated by asterisks. 

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 6, 2005

DAVID F. LEVI

United States District Judge

Case 2:05-cv-01316-JAM-EFB Document 89 Filed 09/07/05 Page 3 of 3