Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-03077/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-03077-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans w/ Disabilities Act (ADA)

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STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 

AND PROTECTIVE ORDER Case No. C 05 03077 MMC 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JOSEPH DOW, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

LOWE'S HOME IMPROVEMENT, INC., 

Defendant. 

Case No. C 05 03077 MMC 

STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY 

AGREEMENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

Trial Date: January 16, 2007 

STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

Plaintiff Joseph Doe (“Dow”) and Defendant Lowe’s HIW, Inc. (“Lowe’s”), by their 

respective counsel, hereby request that this Court enter a mutual protective order based upon the 

parties agreeing to the following statement of just cause: 

1. Dow and Lowe’s stipulate that the litigation in the above-captioned matter may 

require production of confidential information relating to certain current and former Lowe’s 

employees and various of Lowe’s policies, procedures and protocols pertaining to salary, bonus and 

compensation plans. 

2. Dow and Lowe’s agree that the misuse or unnecessary dissemination of the aboveidentified confidential information could violate the privacy of third parties or cause undue 

embarrassment to these persons. 

/ / / 

Case 3:05-cv-03077-MMC Document 20 Filed 02/07/06 Page 1 of 6
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STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 

AND PROTECTIVE ORDER 2. Case No. C 05 03077 MMC

3. Dow and Lowe’s further stipulate that this proceeding may require production of 

documents that contain or disclose trade secrets or confidential information, including, but not 

limited to, financial data; operating procedures; salary, bonus and compensation data; and other 

proprietary compilations of commercial information. Dow and Lowe’s agree that the public has no 

interest in the above-identified confidential information and competitors may gain unfair advantage 

through the dissemination of such information. 

4. Dow and Lowe’s further agree that the misuse or unnecessary dissemination of the 

above-identified confidential and trade secret information would cause the parties to lose their 

respective competitive advantage and cause harm to their businesses and employees. 

WHEREFORE, Dow and Lowe’s hereby stipulate and agree, and further request that the 

Court, for the above stated reasons, enter a mutual protective order, as follows: 

1. Dow and Lowe’s may designate as “CONFIDENTIAL” or as “ATTORNEY’S EYES 

ONLY” any document, testimony, information or material disclosed through formal or informal 

discovery or otherwise in the course of this litigation as hereinafter set forth in Paragraphs 2, 3, and 4. 

Such designation shall subject the information produced or provided under said designation to the 

provisions of this Confidentiality Agreement. 

2. Any document produced by any party or person in this litigation may be designated as 

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” by Dow and Lowe’s by placing the words 

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” on the face of the document. Alternatively, a 

party may designate any document as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” by 

identifying such document(s) by bates number and designating it/them as “CONFIDENTIAL” or 

“ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” in a cover letter addressed to the opposing party’s counsel and 

accompanying the production of such document(s). 

3. Dow or Lowe’s may designate deposition testimony or any portion of deposition 

testimony as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” by advising the reporter and 

counsel of such designation during the course of the deposition, or in writing within 10 days of the 

receipt of the deposition transcript. Transcripts will be treated as confidential for the 10-day period. 

Case 3:05-cv-03077-MMC Document 20 Filed 02/07/06 Page 2 of 6
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STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 

AND PROTECTIVE ORDER 3. Case No. C 05 03077 MMC

Whenever any writing designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” is 

identified as an exhibit in connection with testimony given or with any document filed with the 

Court in this case, it shall be so marked and separately filed under seal with the Court. 

4. Dow or Lowe’s may designate as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES 

ONLY” specific responses to information requests by labeling the specific response 

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY.” 

5. Whenever any document, testimony, information or material designated as 

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” is used or submitted to the Court in 

conjunction with any filing or proceeding in this litigation, it shall be so marked and shall be filed 

separately under seal with the Court. The parties shall act in good faith and on a reasonable basis 

when designating material “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY.” 

6. Except upon prior written consent of the party asserting “CONFIDENTIAL” treatment or 

upon further order of a court of competent jurisdiction, documents, testimony, information or material 

designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” shall be held in strict confidence and shall be used solely for the 

purposes of prosecution or defense of this litigation. Access to “CONFIDENTIAL” documents, 

testimony, information or material shall be limited to: 

a. Counsel for the respective parties, including in-house counsel and co-counsel 

(and employees of said counsel who are assisting in the prosecution or defense 

of this litigation, such as administrative assistants or paralegals); 

b. Experts and consultants (including independent experts and consultants, and 

employees or clerical assistants of said experts) who are employed, retained or 

otherwise consulted by counsel or a party for the purpose of analyzing data, 

conducting studies or providing opinions to assist in such litigation; and 

c. Parties or officers or employees of the respective parties who have a 

reasonable business need to review such documents, testimony, information or 

material. 

/ / / 

/ / / 

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STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 

AND PROTECTIVE ORDER 4. Case No. C 05 03077 MMC

7. “CONFIDENTIAL” documents, testimony, information or material shall not be disclosed 

to any expert or consultant (as defined in paragraph 6(b)), or to any officer or employee (as defined in 

paragraph 6(c)) of the opposing party, unless and until such person has signed and returned to all 

counsel a written agreement that he/she agrees to be bound by the terms of this Confidentiality 

Agreement. 

8. Except upon prior written consent of the party asserting “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” 

treatment or upon further order of a court of competent jurisdiction, documents, testimony, 

information or material designated as “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” shall be held in strict 

confidence and shall be used solely for the purposes of prosecution or defense of this litigation. 

Access to “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” documents, testimony, information or material shall be 

limited to: 

a. Counsel for the respective parties, including in-house counsel and co-counsel 

(and employees of said counsel who are assisting in the prosecution or defense 

of this litigation, such as administrative assistants or paralegals); and 

b. Experts and consultants (including independent experts and consultants, and 

employees or clerical assistants of said experts) who are employed, retained or 

otherwise consulted by counsel or a party for the purpose of analyzing data, 

conducting studies or providing opinions to assist in such litigation. 

9. “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” documents, testimony, information or material shall not 

be disclosed to any expert or consultant (as defined in paragraph 8(b)) unless and until such person 

has signed and returned to all counsel a written agreement that he/she agrees to be bound by the terms 

of this Confidentiality Agreement, and then only in circumstances where the retained expert has a 

valid need to know the information or data. 

10. No party shall, for itself or for any person or persons acting on its behalf, make more 

copies of any “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” information or material than 

are reasonably necessary to conduct this litigation. 

/ / / 

/ / / 

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STIPULATED CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 

AND PROTECTIVE ORDER 5. Case No. C 05 03077 MMC

11. Except as otherwise provided for in this Confidentiality Agreement, all 

“CONFIDENTIAL” and “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” information and material shall remain in the 

possession of counsel for the respective parties, and be stored in a secure place. 

12. If Dow or Lowe’s object to the designation of any document, testimony, information or 

material as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY,” it may, by motion, apply to the 

Court for a ruling that the document, testimony, information or material shall not be so treated. The 

burden shall remain with the party seeking confidentiality to justify such designation. Unless and 

until the Court enters an order to the contrary, the documents, testimony, information or material shall 

be given the “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” treatment initially assigned to it 

and provided for in this Confidentiality Agreement. 

13. Should any party hereto seek to utilize any “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S 

EYES ONLY” document, testimony, information or material at trial or a hearing in this matter, it 

shall meet with counsel for the opposing party in an effort to agree upon a procedure to insure the 

confidentiality of such document, testimony, information or material. In the event counsel are unable 

to reach agreement, the matter will be submitted to the Court. 

14. Upon termination of this litigation, all copies of “CONFIDENTIAL” and 

“ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” documents, testimony, information or material (and all summaries 

thereof) shall, upon request, be returned to counsel for the producing party(ies). Copies of materials 

designated “CONFIDENTIAL” or “ATTORNEY’S EYES ONLY” that have been filed with the 

Court may be returned to the filing party by the Clerk of Court, or destroyed. If not returned to 

counsel for the producing party(ies) within one year after termination of this litigation, all such 

documents, testimony, information or material (and all summaries thereof) shall be destroyed. 

/ / / 

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/ / / 

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