Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-02543/USCOURTS-cand-5_15-cv-02543-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition For Removal--Other Contract

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

TESSERA, INC.,

Plaintiff,

v.

TOSHIBA CORPORATION,

Defendant.

Case No. 5:15-cv-02543-BLF 

OMNIBUS ORDER RE:

ADMINISTRATIVE MOTIONS TO 

SEAL DOCUMENTS

[Re: ECF 139, 140, 144]

Before the Court are three administrative motions to seal, one from Plaintiff Tessera, Inc., 

and two from Defendant Toshiba Corp. See Mots., ECF 139, 140, 144. All three sealing motions 

relate to the briefing on the parties’ cross-motions for summary judgment. See id. Tessera’s 

motion, located at ECF 140, is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART, Toshiba’s first 

sealing motion, located at ECF 139, is DENIED as moot, and Toshiba’s second sealing motion, 

located at ECF 144, is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.

I. LEGAL STANDARD

“Historically, courts have recognized a ‘general right to inspect and copy public records 

and documents, including judicial records and documents.’” 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)). Accordingly, when considering a sealing request, “a ‘strong 

presumption in favor of access’ is the starting point.” Id. (quoting Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. 

Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003)). Parties seeking to seal judicial records relating to 

motions that are “more than tangentially related to the underlying cause of action” bear the burden 

of overcoming the presumption with “compelling reasons” that outweigh the general history of 

access and the public policies favoring disclosure. Ctr. for Auto Safety v. Chrysler Grp., 809 F.3d 

1092, 1099 (9th Cir. 2016); Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1178-79.

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 1 of 8
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

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.” Apple Inc. v. Samsung Elecs. Co., Ltd., 727 F.3d 1214, 1228-29 (Fed. 

Cir. 2013). Records attached to motions that are “not related, or only tangentially related, to the 

merits of a case” therefore are not subject to the strong presumption of access. Ctr. for Auto 

Safety, 809 F.3d at 1099; see also Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179 (“[T]he public has less of a need 

for access to court records attached only to non-dispositive motions because those documents are 

often unrelated, or only tangentially related, to the underlying cause of action.”). Parties moving 

to seal the documents attached to such motions must meet the lower “good cause” standard of 

Rule 26(c). Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179 (internal quotations and citations omitted). This 

standard requires a “particularized showing,” id., that “specific prejudice or harm will result” if the 

information is disclosed. 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). “Broad allegations of harm, unsubstantiated by 

specific examples of articulated reasoning” will not suffice. Beckman Indus., Inc. v. Int’l Ins. Co., 

966 F.2d 470, 476 (9th Cir. 1992). A protective order sealing the documents during discovery 

may reflect the court’s previous determination that good cause exists to keep the documents 

sealed, see Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179-80, 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. 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.”).

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 

must conform with Civil L.R. 79-5(d).” 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 

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 2 of 8
3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

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 “unredacted 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). “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.” Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

II. DISCUSSION

Toshiba’s second sealing motion, located at ECF 144, is an amended version of its first 

sealing motion, located at ECF 139. Toshiba’s first sealing motion, ECF 139, thus is DENIED as 

moot. The remaining sealing motions are resolved under the compelling reasons standard, 

because the parties’ summary judgment briefing is more than tangentially related to the merits of 

this case. 

ECF 

No.

Document to 

be Sealed

Result Reasoning

140-4 Tessera’s 

motion for 

partial 

summary 

judgment

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED.

Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-6 Ex. 1 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-7 Ex. 2 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-8 Ex. 3 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-9 Ex. 4 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-10 Ex. 5 UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information.

140-12 Ex. 7 Designation highlighted in 

yellow SEALED.

Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-13 Ex. 8 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-14 Ex. 9 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-15 Ex. 10 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 3 of 8
4

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

140-16 Ex. 11 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-17 Ex. 12 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-18 Ex. 14 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-19 Ex. 15 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-20 Ex. 16 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-21 Ex. 17 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-22 Ex. 18 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-23 Ex. 19 UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information.

140-24 Ex. 20 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-25 Ex. 21 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-26 Ex. 22 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-27 Ex. 24 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-28 Ex. 25 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-29 Ex. 26 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-30 Ex. 27 SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

140-31 Ex. 28 UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information.

140-32 Ex. 29 UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information.

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 4 of 8
5

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

139-4

1

Toshiba’s first 

motion for 

summary 

judgment

Designations highlighted 

in yellow at

4:7-21, 23-24, 

5:1-4, 22-24,

6:6-15, 17-28,

7:1-9, 11-14, 17-23, 26-

27,

8:1-18, 

9:1-14, 16-18, 22-24, n.6,

10:1-2, 4-6, 10-14,

13:14-20, 22-24,

14:5-9, 

15:2,

16:1-5, 21, 24,

17:2-3, 6-25,

18:12, 16, 20-28,

19:1-4, 6-9,

20:2-3, 5-6

SEALED; remainder 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions contain confidential 

business information.

139-6 Liang Decl. in 

support of 

Toshiba’s 

motion for 

summary 

judgment

Designations highlighted 

in yellow at 

¶¶ 33, 36, 38, 40

SEALED; remainder 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions contain confidential 

business information.

139-7 Ex. 2 to Liang 

Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-8 Ex. 3 to Liang 

Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-9 Ex. 4 to Liang 

decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-10 Ex. 8 to Liang 

Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-11 Ex. 9 to Liang 

Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information.

139-13 Ex. 10 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-15 Ex. 11 to 

Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information.

 

1

Toshiba did not re-file the documents to be sealed with its amended sealing motion, and so the 

documents are identified by the ECF numbers assigned to the first sealing motion. The documents 

to be sealed are located at ECF 139, 141. 

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 5 of 8
6

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

139-17 Ex. 12 to 

Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information.

139-18 Ex. 13 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-19 Ex. 14 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-21 Ex. 15 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-22 Ex. 16 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-23 Ex. 17 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-24 Ex. 18 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-25 Ex. 19 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-26 Ex. 20 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-27 Ex. 21 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-28 Ex. 22 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-29 Ex. 23 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-30 Ex. 24 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

139-31 Ex. 25 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-1 Ex. 26 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-2 Ex. 27 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-3 Ex. 28 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-4 Ex. 29 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-5 Ex. 30, part 1 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-6 Ex. 30, part 2 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-7 Ex. 30, part 3 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-8 Ex. 30, part 4 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-9 Ex. 30, part 5 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-10 Ex. 30, part 6 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 6 of 8
7

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

141-11 Ex. 30, part 7 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-12 Ex. 30, part 8 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-13 Ex. 31, part 1 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-14 Ex. 31, part 2 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-15 Ex. 31, part 3 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-16 Ex. 31, part 4 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-17 Ex. 31, part 5 

to Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-18 Ex. 32 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-19 Ex. 33 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-20 Ex. 34, part 1 

to Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information. Patents are public 

information.

141-21 Ex. 34, part 2 

to Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information. Patents are public 

information.

141-22 Ex. 34, part 3 

to Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Does not contain confidential business 

information. Patents are public 

information.

141-24 Ex. 36, part 1 

to Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information; several of the 

documents contained in this exhibit are 

public information.

141-25 Ex. 36, part 2 

to Liang Decl.

UNSEALED. Not narrowly tailored to confidential 

business information; several of the 

documents contained in this exhibit are 

public information.

141-26 Ex. 37 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-27 Ex. 38 to 

Liang Decl.

SEALED. Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

141-28 Ex. 35 to 

Liang Decl.

Designations highlighted 

in yellow SEALED. 

Sealed material contains confidential 

business information.

The parties may renew their motions to seal the documents the Court has identified as not 

narrowly tailored. Any renewed motions must comport with Civ. L.R. 79-5(d) and be filed by 

August 16, 2016. 

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 7 of 8
8

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

Furthermore, when Toshiba amended its motion to seal, it submitted only the amended 

motion, a declaration in support, and a proposed order. See ECF 144. It did not submit the 

redacted and unredacted version of the documents to be sealed, presumably because the 

documents were already filed with Toshiba’s first motion to seal. See ECF 139. Civ. L.R. 79-

5(d)(C)-(D) explicitly requires parties to filed redacted and unredacted versions of the documents 

sought to be filed under seal. The Court nonetheless has ruled on the amended motion to seal for 

the sake of expediency, but going forward, any amended motion to seal must fully comply with 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(d) and include the redacted and unredacted versions of the documents to be sealed. 

Any amended motion that does not comply with Civ. L.R. 79-5(d) will be denied.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 9, 2016

 ______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:15-cv-02543-BLF Document 170 Filed 08/09/16 Page 8 of 8