Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-05944/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-05944-378/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 410
Nature of Suit: Antitrust
Cause of Action: 15:1 Antitrust Litigation

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United 

States District 

Court

For the Northern District of California 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

IN RE: CATHODE RAY TUBE (CRT)

ANTITRUST LITIGATION 

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MDL No. 1917 

Master File No. 

CV-07-5944-SC 

ORDER ON THE STATE OF 

CALIFRONIA'S MOTION FOR 

PERMISSIVE INTERVENTION AND 

TO RESTORE PUBLIC ACCESS TO 

107 COURT RECORDS 

This Order Relates To: 

ALL ACTIONS 

Now before the Court is the subject motion, filed by the State 

of California ex rel. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General of the 

State of California ("the State"), ECF No. 3972 ("Mot."). The 

motion is fully briefed1 and is appropriate for resolution without 

oral argument pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7-1(b). 

The State makes arguments why it should be permitted to 

intervene for the limited purpose of restoring public access to 

certain records sealed by the Court. In sealing said records, the 

Court stated that it "will look favorably upon motions to intervene 

filed by members of the public who wish to access the sealed 

documents." Order of the Court dated December 27, 2012, ECF No. 

1512. In the very next sentence of that same order, the Court 

clarified that "[i]f such motions are filed, the Court will not 

 

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 See ECF Nos. 4022 ("Opp'n"), 4034 ("Reply"). 

Case 3:07-cv-05944-JST Document 4060 Filed 09/17/15 Page 1 of 2
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United 

States District 

Court

For the Northern District of California 

hesitate to appoint a Special Master to review the documents to be 

unsealed, whose fee shall be paid directly by the party seeking to 

preserve confidentiality." Id. The Court has since reiterated its 

favorable viewpoint multiple times. See ECF Nos. 3498, 3626, 3795. 

Nonetheless, now that one such long-since-contemplated motion 

has been filed, certain parties ask the Court to hesitate in 

appointing a Special Master. See Opp'n. The Court has reviewed 

the motions and "is not inclined to deny the Motion to Unseal." 

Opp'n at 9. However, rather than rule on the issues in this 

motion, the Court is willing to accede to the requests by parties 

and refer the balance of this motion to a Special Master. See id. 

at 9-10; see also Reply at 8; ECF No. 3972-3.

 Therefore, the Court grants the State preliminary permission 

to intervene in the underlying action for the very limited and 

collateral purpose of seeking the unsealing of 107 certain records 

previously sealed by the Court. Both parties expressly request 

Special Master Vaughn R. Walker. Accordingly, the Court sends the 

motion filed by the State to Special Master Walker to review and 

make an independent recommendation whether permission to intervene 

is proper, and, if so, which (if any) of the related 107 Court 

records ought to be unsealed. Should the Special Master find in 

favor of the State, his fees shall be paid directly by the party or 

parties seeking to preserve confidentiality. Otherwise, the 

Special Master may allocate his fees as he deems appropriate. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 Dated: September 17, 2015 ________________________________ 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:07-cv-05944-JST Document 4060 Filed 09/17/15 Page 2 of 2