Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02593/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02593-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 840
Nature of Suit: Trademark
Cause of Action: 15:1125 Trademark Infringement (Lanham Act)

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 A party may have the right to protect from public disclosure information which has

been produced to the other party only through discovery, and which has not been filed with the

court. Seattle Times v. Rhinehart, 467 U.S. 20, 33, 37 (1984).

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

AMERICAN EAGLE WHEEL

CORPORATION,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-06-2593 LKK EFB

vs.

TIRE & WHEEL OUTLET,

ORDER

Defendant. 

 /

The parties submitted on February 13, 2007, a proposed stipulation and order regarding

confidentiality and sealing of documents in this litigation.

Discovery information disclosed in court filings generally is available to the public. See

San Jose Mercury News, Inc. v. United States Dist. Ct., 187 F.3d 1096, 1103 (9th Cir. 1999) (“It

is well-established that the fruits of pre-trial discovery are, in the absence of a court order to the

contrary, presumptively public.”) (citations omitted).1

 

Protective orders safeguard the parties and other persons in light of the otherwise broad

reach of discovery. United States v. CBS, Inc., 666 F.2d 364, 368-69 (9th Cir. 1982). The court

Case 2:06-cv-02593-LKK -EFB Document 10 Filed 02/21/07 Page 1 of 3
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 Paragraph 8 of the proposed stipulation and order provides that parties submitting

applications and motions containing confidential information shall be labeled “under seal – do

not open without court order . . . consistent with Local Rule 39-141.” Local Rule 39-141

contains detailed provisions for obtaining leave to file documents under seal. The parties cannot

bypass these provisions by stipulation with one another.

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has great discretion to issue protective orders if discovery causes annoyance, embarrassment,

oppression, undue burden, or expense. Id. at 369. Good cause, however, is required to obtain a

protective order. Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c); Foltz v State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122,

1130 (9th Cir. 2003); Phillips v. General Motors Corp., 307 F.3d 1206, 1210 (9th Cir. 2002)

(“Generally, the public can gain access to litigation documents and information produced during

discovery unless the party opposing disclosure shows ‘good cause’ why a protective order is

necessary”). 

 “Good cause” to bar the public from litigation documents must be more than mere

desire. The party seeking protection must show specific prejudice or harm, including, with

respect to individual documents, particular and specific need. Phillips, 307 F.3d at 1210-11; San

Jose Mercury News, Inc., 187 F.3d at 1102. “If a court finds particularized harm will result from

disclosure of information to the public, then it balances the public and private interests to decide

whether a protective order is necessary.” Phillips, 307 F.3d at 1211 (citing Glenmade Trust Co.

v. Thompson, 56 F.3d 476, 483 (3d Cir. 1995)). 

Some proposed protective orders enable the parties to designate so much material as

“confidential” that, in essence, entire case filings are sealed. The protective order submitted by

the parties has the same potential problem, and attempts to bypass the Local Rules for filing

documents under seal.2

 This court will not approve a protective order giving blanket authority to

the parties to designate what shall be filed under seal. 

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Accordingly, the proposed protective order is disapproved, and will not be signed. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 20, 2007.

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