Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-00825/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-00825-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 28:1338 Patent Infringement

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Case No. 5:13-cv-00825-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN JOSE DIVISION

SENTIUS INTERNATIONAL, LLC,

 Plaintiff,

 v. 

MICROSOFT CORPORATION,

 Defendant. 

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Case No. 5:13-cv-00825-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS 

TO SEAL

(Re: Docket Nos. 145, 149, 151, 153, 161)

Before the court are five administrative motions to seal 44 documents. “Historically, courts 

have recognized a ‘general right to inspect and copy public records and documents, including 

judicial records and documents.’”1 Accordingly, when considering a sealing request, “a ‘strong 

presumption in favor of access’ is the starting point.”2 Parties seeking to seal judicial records 

relating to dispositive motions bear the burden of overcoming the presumption with “compelling 

reasons” that outweigh the general history of access and the public policies favoring disclosure.3

 

1 Kamakana v. City & County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006) (quoting Nixon v. 

Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 597 & n. 7 (1978)). 

2 Id. (quoting Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003)). 

3 Id. at 1178-79. 

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Case No. 5:13-cv-00825-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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 However, “while protecting the public's interest in access to the courts, we must remain 

mindful of the parties' right to access those same courts upon terms which will not unduly harm 

their competitive interest.”4

 Records attached to nondispositive motions therefore are not subject 

to the strong presumption of access.5

 Because the documents attached to nondispositive motions 

“are often unrelated, or only tangentially related, to the underlying cause of action,” parties moving 

to seal must meet the lower “good cause” standard of Rule 26(c).6 As with dispositive motions, the 

standard applicable to nondispositive motions requires a “particularized showing”7 that “specific 

prejudice or harm will result” if the information is disclosed.8 “Broad allegations of harm, 

unsubstantiated by specific examples of articulated reasoning” will not suffice.9

 A protective order 

sealing the documents during discovery may reflect the court’s previous determination that good 

cause exists to keep the documents sealed,10 but a blanket protective order that allows the parties to 

designate confidential documents does not provide sufficient judicial scrutiny to determine whether 

each particular document should remain sealed.11

In addition to making particularized showings of good cause, parties moving to seal 

documents must comply with the procedures established by Civ. L.R. 79-5. Pursuant to 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(b), a sealing order is appropriate only upon a request that establishes the document 

 

4 Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., 727 F.3d 1214, 1228-29 (Fed. Cir. 2013). 

5 See id. at 1180. 

6 Id. at 1179 (internal quotations and citations omitted). 

7 Id.

8 Phillips ex rel. Estates of Byrd v. Gen. Motors Corp., 307 F.3d 1206, 1210-11 (9th Cir. 2002); 

see Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c). 

9 Beckman Indus., Inc. v. Int’l Ins. Co., 966 F.2d 470, 476 (9th Cir. 1992). 

10 See Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179-80. 

11 See Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(A) (“Reference to a stipulation or protective order that allows a party to 

designate certain documents as confidential is not sufficient to establish that a document, or 

portions thereof, are sealable.”).

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Case No. 5:13-cv-00825-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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is “sealable,” or “privileged or protectable as a trade secret or otherwise entitled to protection under 

the law.” “The request must be narrowly tailored to seek sealing only of sealable material, and 

must conform with Civil L.R. 79-5(d).”12 “Within 4 days of the filing of the Administrative 

Motion to File Under Seal, the Designating Party must file a declaration as required by subsection 

79-5(d)(1)(A) establishing that all of the designated material is sealable.”13

With these standards in mind, the courts rules on the instant motion as follows: 

Motion 

to Seal 

Document to be Sealed Result Reason/Explanation 

145 Opposition to 

Defendant’s Daubert 

Motion to Exclude 

Testimony of Sentius’ 

Survey Expert, Dr. 

William Wecker

•Page 7:10-11: “would 

have...revenue” SEALED

•All other designations 

UNSEALED

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

operations. 

145 Exhibit C 

(Docket No. 145-8) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

145 Exhibit D 

(Docket No. 145-9) 

• ¶¶ 146-147 SEALED including: 

 Chart on page 88 SEALED

 Footnotes SEALED 

• Pages 90-103 UNSEALED 

• ¶ 176 – end of page 108 SEALED 

except:

 ¶ 176 “The income... 

combination thereof.” 

UNSEALED

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

145 Exhibit M 

(Docket No. 145-10) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

 

12 Civ. L.R. 79-5(b). In part, Civ. L.R. 79-5(d) requires the submitting party to attach a “proposed 

order that is narrowly tailored to seal only the sealable material” which “lists in table format each 

document or portion thereof that is sought to be sealed,” Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(b), and an 

“unredacted version of the document” that indicates “by highlighting or other clear method, the 

portions of the document that have been omitted from the redacted version.” 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(d).

13 Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1). The Civil Local Rules have recently been amended shortening the time 

available to the designating party to file a supporting declaration from seven days to four days. As 

this rule change was only recently implemented the court applies the prior form of Civ. L.R. 79-5 

for the purposes of this order. 

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OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

149 Opposition to 

Defendant’s Motion to 

Phase Trial

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

149 Exhibit A 

(Docket No. 149-7) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

149 Exhibit B 

(Docket No. 149-8) 

SEALED Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

151 Opposition to 

Defendant’s Motion for 

Summary Judgment of 

No Infringement

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 1 

(Docket No. 151-7) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 2 

(Docket No. 151-9) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 3 

(Docket No. 151-11) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 4 

(Docket No. 151-13) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 5 

(Docket No. 151-15) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 6 

(Docket No. 151-17) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(1)(A). 

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OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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151 Exhibit 8 

(Docket No. 151-20) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 9 

(Docket No. 151-22) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 10 

(Docket No. 151-24) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 11 

(Docket No. 151-26) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 12 

(Docket No. 151-28) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 13 

(Docket No. 151-30) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 14 

(Docket No. 151-32) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 15 

(Docket No. 151-34) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 16 

(Docket No. 151-36) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 17 

(Docket No. 151-38) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 61 

(Docket No. 151-83) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

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OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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Civ. L.R. 79- 5(d)(1)(A). 

151 Exhibit 62 

(Docket No. 151-85) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(1)(A). 

151 Exhibit 66 

(Docket No. 151-90) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 67 

(Docket No. 151-92) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(1)(A). 

151 Exhibit 68 

(Docket No. 151-94) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(1)(A). 

151 Exhibit 69 

(Docket No. 151-96) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 70 

(Docket No. 151-98) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 71 

(Docket No. 151-100) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 72 

(Docket No. 151-102) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 73 

(Docket No. 151-104) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 74 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

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OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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(Docket No. 151-106) court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

151 Exhibit 75 

(Docket No. 151-108) 

UNSEALED Declaration as filed 

insufficient to 

support sealing under 

Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(1)(A). 

151 Declaration of Vijay 

Madisetti in Support of 

Opposition to 

Defendant’s Motion for 

Summary Judgment of 

No Infringement

UNSEALED Not narrowly 

tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

151 Exhibit A 

(Docket Nos. 151-112 to 

151-116) 

UNSEALED Not narrowly 

tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

153 Memorandum of Law in 

Opposition to 

Defendant’s Daubert 

Motion to Exclude 

Testimony or Sentius’ 

Damages Expert, Robert 

Mills

• Page 3:22-4:1 SEALED 

• Page 6:13-28 (including footnotes 

1-3) SEALED

• Page 11:20-28 (footnote 7) 

SEALED

• Page 4:23-24 SEALED

• Page 5:2-3 “Dividing” until “After 

thoroughly” SEALED

• Page 19:2 SEALED 

• All other designations 

UNSEALED

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

153 Exhibit A 

(Docket No. 153-9) 

UNSEALED Not narrowly 

tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

153 Exhibit B 

(Docket No. 153-10) 

• Pages 79:24-80:40 SEALED 

• Page 97:13-14 SEALED

• Page 98:6-11 SEALED

• All other designations 

UNSEALED

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

153 Exhibit C 

(Docket No. 153-11) 

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

161 Defendant’s Reply in 

Support of its Daubert 

Motion to Exclude 

Testimony of Sentius’ 

Damages Expert, Robert 

All designations highlighted in 

yellow SEALED

Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

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