Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00006/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00006-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 530
Nature of Suit: Prisoner Petitions - Habeas Corpus
Cause of Action: 28:2254 Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus (State)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Louis Micharl Abramo,

Petitioner

-vsCharles Ryan, et al.,

Respondents

CV-10-0006-PHX-JWS (JRI)

ORDER

Under consideration is Respondents' Motion to File Under Seal, filed August 25, 2010

(Doc. 16). Respondents seek to file under seal six exhibits (Doc. 17) to their Response (Doc.

15) to the Petitioner’s habeas petition, citing as cause the nature of the exhibits as mentalhealth evaluations, and that they have been sealed by the state courts. Petitioner has not

responded, and the time to respond has run. 

A party seeking to seal a judicial record then bears the burden of showing “compelling

reasons” supported by specific factual findings, that outweigh the general history of access

and the public policies favoring disclosure. The court must balance the competing interests

of the public and the party who seeks to keep the records secret, identify the “compelling

reason” and articulate the factual basis for its ruling, without relying on hypothesis or

conjecture. Kamakana v. City and County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 -1179 (9th Cir.

2006). In general, sufficient “compelling reasons” exist when such the records might become

a vehicle for improper purposes, such as the gratification of private spite, to promote public

scandal, circulate libelous statements, release trade secrets, etc. Id. at 1179. However, “[t]he

mere fact that the production of records may lead to a litigant's embarrassment, incrimination,

or exposure to further litigation will not, without more, compel the court to seal its records.”

Id.

Other Courts have approved of the sealing of psychiatric records. See e.g. Doe v.

Case 2:10-cv-00006-JWS Document 18 Filed 09/29/10 Page 1 of 2
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Oberweis Dairy, 456 F.3d 704, 718 (7th Cir. 2006) (civil case); U.S. v. Antone, 981 F.2d

1059, 1062 (9th Cir. 1992) (criminal case, sealing witness’s psychiatric records). The United

States Supreme Court has recognized that “confidential communications between a licensed

psychotherapist and her patients in the course of diagnosis or treatment are protected from

compelled disclosure.” Jaffee v. Redmond, 518 U.S. 1, 15 (1996). 

Here, the submitted records contain extensive and detailed evaluations of Petitioner’s

mental, developmental, and family history, as well as his mental health treatment and

behavior during efforts to restore him to competency to stand trial. The unsealing of those

records would effectively waive whatever remains of Petitioner’s privilege. Given the

revelations in those records, they would likely subject Petitioner to public scandal even

beyond the generic reprobation inherent in his conviction and its circumstances. Moreover,

the pubic filing of records of the state courts previously sealed by those courts would display

a lack of comity, particularly where no opposition to the sealing is voiced, and no specific

reason for unsealing (beyond the presumption in favor of it) is apparent. Those are each

“compelling reasons” to seal the records.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Respondents' Motion to File Under Seal, filed

August 25, 2010 (Doc. 16) is GRANTED.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Respondents’ proposed Exhibits, lodged August

25, 2010 (Doc. 17) shall be FILED UNDER SEAL.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Petitioner shall have fourteen days from the filing

of this Order to reply in support of his habeas petition. 

DATED: September 28, 2010 _____________________________________

JAY R. IRWIN 

S:\Drafts\OutBox\10-0006-016o Order 10 09 21 re MSeal.wpd United States Magistrate Judge 

Case 2:10-cv-00006-JWS Document 18 Filed 09/29/10 Page 2 of 2