Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-00563/USCOURTS-azd-2_24-cv-00563-7/pdf.json

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

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Nikola Corporation,

Plaintiff,

v. 

Trevor R Milton,

Defendant.

No. CV-24-00563-PHX-DJH

PROTECTIVE ORDER 

In accordance with the Court’s May 2, 2024, Order (Doc. 48), the Court issues this 

Protective Order to ensure the parties’ confidential information is not put at risk by its 

necessary disclosure within this litigation. 

Accordingly, and with good cause appearing,

IT IS ORDERED as follows:

This Order shall govern discovery provided by the Parties and any other party or 

non-party (“Discovery Material”) in connection with the above-captioned action (the 

“Action”) pursuant to the following terms:

1. If any Party or person who provides or has provided Discovery Material in

connection with this Action (the “Producing Party”) determines in good faith that such

Discovery Material contains or discloses proprietary or non-public information of a

commercially, financially or personally sensitive nature such as confidential trade secrets,

unpublished financial data, confidential business or products plans, or confidential

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customer information, or that it would pose a high risk of competitive harm, the Producing

Party may designate specifically identified Discovery Material as either

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY” (such 

material hereinafter referred to as “Confidential Information”). All copies, abstracts, 

excerpts, analyses or other writings that contain, reflect, reveal or otherwise disclose such 

Confidential Information shall be handled in strict accordance with the terms of this Order.

a. A designation of “CONFIDENTIAL” may be made by any Producing Party 

if, in the good faith belief of such Party and his or its counsel, the disclosure 

of such information could be harmful to the business or personal affairs of 

such Party.

b. A designation of “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY” may 

be made by any Producing Party only after such Party has made a good faith 

determination that the information or documents include or constitute 

confidential and proprietary information among that considered to be most 

sensitive and which, if disclosed to the other Party, rather than to his or its 

counsel, could result in injury or harm to the Producing Party’s interests, 

including but not limited to documents or information containing or referring 

to trade secrets or other confidential and/or proprietary information, technical 

research, design documents and business or financial information. 

2. Copies and/or originals of Confidential Information that are produced, given or 

exchanged in connection with this Action shall be designated as such by the Producing 

Party by stamping or otherwise clearly marking at least on the first page of a document or 

writing “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY.” 

When the designation is intended to apply to only a portion of a document or writing, that 

portion shall be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL –

ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY.”

3. Prior to the disclosure of Confidential Information during a deposition, the 

Producing Party will have the right to exclude from attendance at the deposition any person 

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other than the deponent, Outside Counsel, a deposition videographer, and a court reporter. 

“Outside Counsel” as used in this Order means outside counsel of record in this litigation, 

and other attorneys, paralegals, secretaries, and support staff employed in the office of any 

counsel of record Information contained or revealed in a deposition, whether in a question, 

answer, or exhibit, in connection with this Action may be designated on the record as 

“CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY.” Transcripts 

of testimony and/or exhibits so designated during the deposition may, at the option of any 

Party, be appropriately marked and bound separately. A Party may also designate 

information disclosed at depositions as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL –

ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY” by notifying counsel for all Parties, in writing, within thirty 

(30) days of receipt of the transcript of the deposition of the specific pages and lines of the 

transcript and/or exhibits which contain Confidential Information. All depositions and the 

exhibits thereto shall be treated in their entirety as “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ 

EYES ONLY” and bear that label for a period of thirty (30) days after receipt by counsel 

to the deponent of a transcript. Nothing in this paragraph precludes a deponent from 

reviewing the entirety of his or her transcript and exhibits thereto at any time. Following 

the initial 30-day period after receipt, in the event the deposition transcripts contain 

Confidential Information, the originals of the deposition transcripts and all copies of the 

deposition shall bear the legend “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL –

ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY,” as appropriate.

4. The disclosure of Discovery Material without designating it as “CONFIDENTIAL” 

or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY” in accordance with Paragraphs 1 

or 2 does not constitute a waiver of such right and may be corrected by supplemental 

written notice at any time, with the effect that such Discovery Material will be deemed 

Confidential Information from the time it is designated “CONFIDENTIAL” or 

“CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY.” Upon receipt of such a supplemental 

designation, any party receiving such Discovery Material (the “Receiving Party”) that 

disclosed the Discovery Material prior to its designation as Confidential Information shall 

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exercise its best efforts to ensure that the Discovery Material, and any information derived 

therefrom, is treated as Confidential Information in accordance with the terms of this Order.

5. Confidential Information must not be disclosed by the Receiving Party to anyone 

other those persons designated within this Order, must be handled in the manner set forth 

herein, and must not be used for any purpose other than in connection with this litigation, 

unless and until such designation is removed either by agreement of the Parties or by order

of this Court.

6. Discovery Material designated as “CONFIDENTIAL" shall not be disclosed 

directly or indirectly to persons other than:

a. Parties;

b. Technical personnel of the Parties with whom Outside Counsel for the parties 

find it necessary to consult in connection with this Action;

c. Stenographic and clerical employees associated with the individuals 

identified in Paragraphs 6(a) and 6(b);

d. Outside Counsel, regular and temporary employees and service vendors of 

such counsel (including outside copying services and outside litigation 

support services) for use in accordance with this Stipulation and Order;

e. Outside experts or consultants engaged to assist Outside Counsel 

specifically in this Action, for use in accordance with this Stipulation and 

Order, subject to the conditions and procedures listed in Paragraph 8;

f. Witnesses or deponents and their counsel, during the course of, or to the 

extent necessary to prepare for, depositions or testimony, subject to the 

conditions and procedures listed in Paragraph 8 if not otherwise included in 

this Paragraph 6;

g. Any person indicated on the face of a document to be the author, addressee, 

or an actual or intended recipient of the document;

h. Stenographers and videographers engaged to transcribe or video depositions 

conducted with respect to this Action;

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i. This Court and any appellate court and their support personnel; and/or

j. Any other person upon order of this Court or with the written consent of the 

Producing Party.

7. Discovery Material designated as “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES 

ONLY” shall not be disclosed directly or indirectly to persons other than:

a. Outside Counsel, regular and temporary employees and service vendors of 

such counsel (including outside copying services and outside litigation 

support services) for use in accordance with this Order;

b. Outside experts or consultants engaged to assist Outside Counsel specifically 

in this Action for use in accordance with this Order, subject to the conditions 

and procedures listed in Paragraph 8;

c. Any person indicated on the face of a document to be the author, addressee, 

or an actual or intended recipient of the document;

d. Stenographers and videographers engaged to transcribe or video depositions 

conducted with respect to this Action;

e. This Court and any appellate court and their support personnel; and/or

f. Any other person upon order of this Court or with the written consent of the 

Producing Party.

8. All persons listed in Paragraphs 6(e), 6(f), and 7(b), above, who are given access to 

Confidential Information or documents or documents containing Confidential Information, 

therein, shall first execute a Non-Disclosure Agreement in the form annexed as Exhibit A 

hereto (the “Agreement”), agreeing in writing to be bound by the terms and conditions of 

this Order, consenting to the jurisdiction of the Court solely for purposes of enforcement 

of the terms of this Order, and agreeing not to disclose or use any Confidential Information 

for purposes other than those permitted herein. Signed Agreements shall be maintained by 

counsel for the Party responsible for obtaining those Agreements as a condition to giving 

such persons access to Confidential Information. Notwithstanding Paragraphs 6(e), 6(f), 

and 7(b) above, Confidential Information may be provided to experts or consultants only 

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to the extent necessary for such expert or consultant to prepare a written opinion, to prepare 

to testify, or to assist Outside Counsel specifically for this Action in accordance with this 

Order, and provided that such expert or consultant is using said materials solely for such 

purposes.

9. Nothing in this Order shall be construed to limit in any way any Party’s use of its 

own Confidential Information, nor shall it affect any person’s or entity’s subsequent 

voluntary waiver of its own prior designation with respect to its own Confidential 

Information.

10. All Confidential Information filed with the Court, and all portions of pleadings, 

motions or other papers filed with the Court that disclose such Confidential Information 

shall be filed under seal to the extent permitted by law (including, without limitation any 

applicable rules of court). To the extent that the Court requires any further act by the Parties 

as a precondition to the filing of documents under seal (beyond the submission of this 

Order), it shall be the obligation of the Producing Party of the documents to be filed with 

the Court to satisfy any such preconditions.

11. Any Receiving Party who objects to any designation of confidentiality may at any 

time serve upon counsel for the Producing Party a written notice stating with particularity 

the grounds of the objection. Thereafter, the Parties must confer in good faith regarding 

such designations. If agreement cannot be reached within fourteen (14) days of the receipt 

of the written notice, counsel for the Receiving Party may seek Court’s assistance in 

resolving the dispute in accordance with the Court’s discovery dispute protocol1 provided 

1 The Court’s discovery dispute procedures are as follows:

The parties shall not file written discovery motions without leave of Court. 

If a discovery dispute arises and cannot be resolved despite sincere efforts to 

resolve the matter through personal consultation (in person or by telephone), 

the parties shall jointly file (1) a brief written summary of the dispute, not to 

exceed two pages, with explanation of the position taken by each party and 

(2) a joint written certification that the counsel or the parties have attempted 

to resolve the matter through personal consultation and sincere effort as 

required by Local Rule of Civil Procedure 7.2(j) and have reached an 

impasse. If the opposing party has refused to personally consult, the party 

seeking relief shall describe the efforts made to obtain personal consultation. 

Upon review of the filed written summary of the dispute, the Court may set 

an in-court hearing or telephonic conference, order written briefing, or decide 

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that the burden shall be on the Producing Party to justify the claim that the disputed 

Discovery Material has been properly designated. The designation of Discovery Material 

as “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY” shall 

remain in full force and effect until the dispute is resolved by agreement of the parties or 

ruled upon by the Court.

12. Subject to Paragraph 10 hereof, this Order shall not apply to the treatment to be 

given at any trial or evidentiary hearing to any Confidential Information. Such treatment 

shall be subject to subsequent order of this Court issued prior to trial.

13. Each person who has access to Confidential Information shall take reasonable 

precautions to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of such Confidential Information.

14. This Order shall survive the termination of all proceedings in connection with this 

Action. Within thirty (30) days of the final disposition of this Action (including any 

appellate proceedings), all Confidential Information and all copies thereof, shall be 

promptly returned to the Producing Party, or, upon permission of the Producing Party, 

destroyed. With regard to Confidential Information that has been received electronically 

and that cannot be returned or destroyed, the Receiving Party must take reasonable 

measures to ensure that (i) the documents are electronically deleted, including from “trash” 

files and (ii) unauthorized persons do not have access to Confidential Information resident 

on the recipient’s computer server and back-up media.

15. Confidential Information shall be used solely for the prosecution or defense of this 

Action. A party that wishes to use Confidential Information and/or Discovery Material 

designated “CONFIDENTIAL” or “CONFIDENTIAL – ATTORNEYS’ EYES ONLY”

for a purpose other than the prosecution or defense of this Action must request permission, 

in writing, from the Producing Party. The Receiving Party’s request must identify the 

Confidential Information that the Receiving Party wishes to use and must identify the 

purpose for using it. If the parties cannot resolve the question of whether the Receiving 

the dispute without conference or briefing. If the Court desires supplemental 

briefing prior to a hearing, counsel will be notified by order of the Court. 

Any briefing ordered by the Court shall comply with Local Rule of Civil 

Procedure 7.2(j).

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Party can use the Confidential Information for the purpose specified within fourteen (14) 

days of the Producing Party’s receipt of such a request, the Receiving Party may seek the 

Court’s assistance in resolving the dispute in accordance with the Court’s discovery dispute 

protocol. Any Confidential Information at issue must be treated as Confidential 

Information, as designated by the Producing Party, until the Court has ruled on the motion 

or the matter has been otherwise resolved.

16. If any Receiving Party is subpoenaed in another action or proceeding or served with 

a document demand, and such subpoena or document demand seeks Confidential 

Information, the Receiving Party shall give written notice to the Producing Party by email 

and overnight delivery no later than five (5) business days after receipt of such subpoena 

or document demand that identifies the Confidential Information sought and encloses a 

copy of the subpoena or discovery request. Except as ordered otherwise by a court of 

competent jurisdiction, the Receiving Party shall refrain from producing any Confidential 

Information in response to such a subpoena or document demand until the earlier of (i) 

receipt of written notice from the Producing Party that such party does not object to 

production of the Confidential Information or (ii) resolution of any timely objection 

asserted by the Producing Party either by agreement or by order of the court with 

jurisdiction over the objection of the Producing Party. The burden of opposing the 

enforcement of the subpoena shall fall solely upon the Producing Party. Nothing herein 

shall be construed as requiring the Receiving Party or anyone else covered by this Order to 

challenge or appeal any order directing production of Confidential Information covered by 

this Order, or to subject himself, herself or itself to any penalties for non-compliance with 

any legal process or order, or to seek any relief from this Court.

17. A person or entity from whom discovery is sought, or enters an appearance in this 

Action, may join this Order, thereby becoming an additional Party hereto, by executing 

and filing a Joinder agreeing to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Order.

18. A Party needing relief from the provisions of this Order, or who seeks modification 

of the Order may, if agreement between or among the Parties cannot be reached, seek 

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appropriate relief from the Court upon notice to the other Parties.

19. Nothing contained in this Order will be construed as: (i) a waiver by a Party of its 

right to object to any discovery request propounded; (ii) a waiver of any privilege or 

protection available under the controlling law; or (iii) a waiver of any Party’s right to object 

to the admissibility at trial of any document, testimony or other evidence.

20. This Court shall retain jurisdiction over all persons subject to this Order to the extent 

necessary to enforce any obligations arising hereunder or to impose sanctions for any 

contempt thereof.

Dated this 2nd day of May, 2024.

Honorable Diane J. Humetewa

United States District Judge

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EXHIBIT A

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Nikola Corporation,

Plaintiff,

v. 

Trevor R Milton,

Defendant.

No. CV-24-00563-PHX-DJH

ORDER 

I, _____________________________, state that:

1. My address is ____________________________________________________.

2. My present occupation or job description is _____________________________.

3. I have received a copy of the Protective Order (the “Order”) entered in the above

captioned action on ________________________.

4. I have carefully read and understand the provisions of the Order.

5. I will comply with all of the provisions of the Order.

6. I will hold in confidence, will not disclose to anyone not qualified under the Order, 

and will use only for purposes of this action, any Confidential Information that is disclosed 

to me.

7. Pursuant to Paragraph 12 of the Order, I will return all Confidential Information that 

comes into my possession, and documents or things that I have prepared relating thereto, 

to counsel for the party by whom I am employed or retained, or to counsel from whom I 

received the Confidential Information.

8. I hereby submit to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District 

of Arizona for the purpose of enforcement of the Order in this action.

Dated: _________________ ________________________________

Name:

Company:

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