Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-01081/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-01081-24/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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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-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 

GSI TECHNOLOGY, INC., 

 Plaintiff, 

 v. 

UNITED MEMORIES, INC., et al., 

 Defendants. 

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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS 

TO SEAL 

(Re: Docket Nos. 464, 471, 476, 479, 

484, 486, 487, 490, 492, 504) 

 Before the court are 10 administrative motions to seal 33 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-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

 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 

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 

 

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-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

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 court rules on the instant motions as follows: 

Motion Document to be Sealed Result Reason/Explanation

Docket No. 

464-3 

Exhibit A to UMI’s 

Opposition to GSI’s 

Motion for Sanctions 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

471-4 

ISSI’s Motion to Compel 

on Requests for 

Admission 

Page 3 SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

471-6 

Exhibit A to ISSI’s 

Motion to Compel on 

Requests for Admission 

Exhibit A at 4:5-8; 4:10-

12 SEALED.14 Narrowly tailored to confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

471-8 

Exhibit B to ISSI’s 

Motion to Compel on 

Requests for Admission 

Exhibit B at 5:25-28; 

6:2-7; 6:9-11; 6:13-18 

SEALED.15 

Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

471-10 

Exhibit C to ISSI’s 

Motion to Compel on 

Requests for Admission

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

 

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 

“unreadacted 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). 

14 The unredacted version of the document does not “indicate, by highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the document that have been omitted from the redacted version” as 

required by Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(D). The court nevertheless considers the motion in the interest of 

judicial economy. GSI’s declaration in support of ISSI’s motion to seal does not reference Exhibit 

A, portions of which ISSI seeks to seal on GSI’s behalf. See Docket No. 493. Also in the interest 

of judicial economy, the court grants this motion because GSI’s declaration supports sealing 

portions of Exhibit B that are identical to the portions of Exhibit A which ISSI seeks to seal. See 

id. 

15 The unredacted version of the document does not “indicate, by highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the document that have been omitted from the redacted version” as 

required by Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(D). The court nevertheless considers the motion in the interest of 

judicial economy.

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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

Docket No. 

476-6 

Exhibit B to ISSI’s 

Motion to Strike “NonTrade Secret” Schematic 

Claim 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information; and 

unredacted version does 

not “indicate, by 

highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the 

document that have been 

omitted from the redacted 

version” as required by 

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

Docket No. 

479-3 

ISSI’s Rule 37(b) Motion UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information; and 

unredacted version does 

not “indicate, by 

highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the 

document that have been 

omitted from the redacted 

version” as required by 

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

Docket No. 

479-5 

Exhibit C to ISSI’s Rule 

37(b) Motion 

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

479-7 

Exhibit D to ISSI’s Rule 

37(b) Motion 

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

479-9 

Exhibit E to ISSI’s Rule 

37(b) Motion 

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

479-11 

Exhibit G to ISSI’s Rule 

37(b) Motion 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information or unsealed 

portions contain 

information requested to 

be sealed elsewhere; 

unredacted version does 

not “indicate, by 

highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the 

document that have been 

omitted from the redacted 

version” as required by 

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

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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

Docket No. 

484-2 

Exhibit A to UMI’s 

Motion to Compel GSI 

to Supplement its 

Privilege Log 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and unsealed 

portions contain 

information requested to 

be sealed elsewhere. 

Docket No. 

487-2 

UMI's Motion to Compel 

GSI’s Production of 

Agreements 

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED. 

Sealed portions narrowly 

tailored to confidential 

business information 

sealed. 

Docket No. 

487-3 

Exhibit A to UMI's 

Motion to Compel GSI’s 

Production of 

Agreements 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

490-3 

Exhibit A to UMI’s 

Motion to Compel GSI 

to Supplement its 

Responses to UMI’s 

Interrogatories 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

490-5 

Exhibit B to UMI’s 

Motion to Compel GSI 

to Supplement its 

Responses to UMI’s 

Interrogatories 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

490-7 

Exhibit C to UMI’s 

Motion to Compel GSI 

to Supplement its 

Responses to UMI’s 

Interrogatories 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

490-9 

Exhibit D to UMI’s 

Motion to Compel GSI 

to Supplement its 

Responses to UMI’s 

Interrogatories 

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

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Docket No. 

492-4 

ISSI’s Opposition to 

GSI's Motion to Compel 

ISSI Written Discovery 

UNSEALED.16 Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information or unsealed 

portions contain 

information requested to 

be sealed elsewhere; 

unredacted version does 

not “indicate, by 

highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the 

document that have been 

omitted from the redacted 

version” as required by 

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

Docket No. 

504-4 

Exhibit E to GSI’s 

Motion to Compel 

Production of a Privilege 

Log 

UNSEALED.17 ISSI does not request that 

any portion be filed under 

seal (see Docket No. 499). 

UMI filed no declaration 

in support. 

Docket No. 

504-6 

Exhibit 1 to GSI’s 

Motion to Compel UMI 

to Produce a Witness for 

Deposition Regarding 

Supplemental 

Interrogatory Responses 

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED. 

Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-8 

Exhibit 2 to GSI’s 

Motion to Compel UMI 

to Produce a Witness for 

Deposition Regarding 

Supplemental 

Interrogatory Responses 

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED. 

Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-10 

GSI’s Motion to Compel 

ISSI to Respond to 

Written Discovery and 

Requests for Production 

Designations highlighted 

in blue SEALED. 

Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-12 

Exhibit B to GSI’s 

Motion to Compel ISSI 

to Respond to Written 

Discovery and Requests 

for Production 

Exhibit B at 5:27-6:3; 

7:3-8:5 SEALED.18 Only sealed portions narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

 

16 GSI did not file a supporting declaration per Civ. L.R. 79-5(e). 

17 For all documents sought to be sealed at Docket No. 504, ISSI filed its declaration (Docket No. 

499) in support of GSI’s original motion to seal (Docket No. 486) more than four days after GSI 

served the motion, violating Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1). However, the court considers ISSI’s declaration 

because GSI later revised its motion to seal. See Docket No. 504.

18 The unredacted version of the document does not “indicate, by highlighting or other clear 

method, the portions of the document that have been omitted from the redacted version” as 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

Docket No. 

504-14 

GSI’s Letter Brief 

Seeking Order to Compel 

ISSI to Produce 30(b)(6) 

Witness 

Page 3: “Ex. F at 

371:14-378:9” through 

“See Ex. M at 293:1-

294:23” SEALED. 

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-15 

Exhibit B to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

UNSEALED. ISSI does not request that 

any portion be filed under 

seal (see Docket No. 499). 

UMI filed no declaration 

in support. 

Docket No. 

504-17 

Exhibit F to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-18 

Exhibit G to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

SEALED. Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-19 

Exhibit H to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-21 

Exhibit I to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-23 

Exhibit J to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-25 

Exhibit M to GSI’s 

Letter Brief Seeking 

Order to Compel ISSI to 

Produce 30(b)(6) 

Witness 

293:1-5; 293:17 

UNSEALED. 

Remaining designations 

highlighted in yellow 

SEALED. 

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. 

Docket No. 

504-27 

Exhibit N to GSI’s Letter 

Brief Seeking Order to 

Compel ISSI to Produce 

30(b)(6) Witness 

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED. 

Sealed portions narrowly 

tailored to confidential 

business information 

sealed. 

 

required by Civ. L.R. 79-5(d)(1)(D). The court nevertheless considers the motion in the interest of 

judicial economy. The portions of the document ordered sealed are the portions that ISSI seeks to 

seal. It is unclear exactly what GSI seeks to seal. Both GSI’s motion (Docket No. 504) and John 

Senechal’s declaration thereto (Docket No. 504-1) refer to redacted portions on page 12 of the 

exhibit. Exhibit B contains highlighted designations at 5:7-8:7, but there are no redactions on page 

12 or references to page 12 in GSI’s proposed order. 

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Case No.: 5:13-cv-01081-PSG 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 23, 2015 

 _________________________________ 

PAUL S. GREWAL 

United States Magistrate Judge 

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