Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00974/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00974-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1441pi Removal- Personal Injury

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28 - 1 - 

ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP 15250 Ventura Blvd., Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403 

(818) 205-9955; (818) 205-9944 fax 

CHARLES D. MAY, ESQ.; STATE BAR NO.: 129663 

DIANA M. RIVERA, ESQ: STATE BAR NO.: 222025 

Attorneys for Defendant, 

LOWE’S HOME CENTERS LLC 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

HELEN RIVARD, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

LOWE’S COMPANIES, INC., 

LOWE’S HOME CENTERS, LLC; 

and Does 1 to 20, 

Defendants. 

Case No: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-PCL

(San Diego County Superior Court Case 37-

2016-00041893-CU-PO-CTL) 

 ORDER 

Assigned to District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo 

and Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt

Plaintiff HELEN RIVARD (“Plaintiff”) and Defendant LOWE’S HOME 

CENTERS, LLC (“Defendant”) jointly submit this Proposed Order pursuant to 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 26(c)(1) limiting the use and disposition of 

certain information and documents during litigation of this matter. 

Good Cause Statement 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 26(c)(1) states in pertinent part, that the 

Court, upon a showing of good cause may “issue an order to protect a party from 

annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 

26(c)(1). In the instant matter, Defendant’s Confidential Documents (as later defined 

herein) contain proprietary and confidential trade secret information relating to 

Defendant’s business practices and its safety protocol. Defendant derives independent 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 1 of 7
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ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

economic value from maintaining the confidentiality of the policies and procedures set 

forth in these Confidential Documents. 

 Defendant is a retailer in the home improvement industry and has conducted 

business in California since 1998. The home improvement retail industry is very 

competitive. As a result of years of investing time and money in research and 

investigation, defendant developed the policies contained in the Confidential 

Documents for the purposes of maintaining the security and accessibility of its 

merchandise, providing quality customer service, and ensuring the safety of its 

employees and customers. These policies and procedures, as memorialized in the 

Confidential Documents, were created and generated by Lowe’s for Lowe’s, and are 

used for the purposes of maintaining safety at its stores and creating efficient and 

organized work environments for its employees. As a result, Defendant is able to 

minimize the waste of any resources, which is a key factor in generating profitability 

for its business. 

Defendant derives economic value from maintaining the secrecy of its 

Confidential Documents. If disclosed to the public, the trade secret information 

contained in Defendant’s Confidential Documents would reveal Defendant’s internal 

operations and could potentially be used by competitors as a means to compete for its 

customers, interfere with its business plans and thereby gain unfair business 

advantages. If Defendant’s safety protocol were revealed to the general public, it 

would hinder Defendant’s ability to effectively resolve and minimize liability claims, 

and its goal of protecting its customers and employees from theft and other crimes. 

Unrestricted or unprotected disclosure of such information would result in prejudice 

or harm to Defendant by revealing Lowe’s competitive confidential information, 

which has been developed at the expense of Lowe’s and which represents valuable 

tangible and intangible assets. An order of the Court is needed in this case to enable 

the Court to enforce the stipulated agreement between the parties in the event of 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 2 of 7
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ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

violation of such agreement by either party. Accordingly, the parties respectfully 

submit that there is good cause for the entry of a Protective Order in this case. 

The parties having agreed to the following terms governing the treatment of 

confidential information, and the Court having found that good cause exists for 

issuance of an appropriately-tailored confidentiality order governing the pre-trial 

phase of this action, it is HEREBY ORDERED as follows: The parties, therefore, 

agree as follows: 

1. All documents produced or information disclosed and any other 

documents or records designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” by the Defendant shall be 

revealed only to a settlement officer, court personnel, Plaintiff, counsel of record in 

this case, paralegals and secretarial employees under counsel’s direct supervision, and 

such persons as are employed by counsel to act as experts in this action. Documents 

or records designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” may be used in support of motions or at 

trial in the instant case. To the extent any documents or information covered by this 

Stipulation will be used at trial, the parties will make arrangements with the trial judge 

regarding the handling of said documents, records and/or information during trial. The 

information designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” and disclosed only in accord with the 

terms of this paragraph may include, without limitation, documents and information 

containing Defendant’s policies and procedures, as well as personnel records, 

including disciplinary records, identity, information relating to the processes, 

operations, type of work, or apparatus, or the production, sales, shipments, transfers, 

identification of customers, inventories, amount or source of income, profits, losses, 

expenditures, or any research, development, or any other commercial information 

supplied by the Defendant in response to Plaintiff’s Interrogatories or Requests for 

Production. Information and documentation considered “CONFIDENTIAL” are 

subject to protection under Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and under 

other provisions of Federal law. 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 3 of 7
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28 - 4 - 

ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

 2. Counsel for Plaintiff shall use all documents and information produced 

or disclosed by the Defendant solely for the purposes of preparation for and trial of 

this action. Under no circumstances shall information or materials covered by this 

Stipulation be disclosed to anyone other than court personnel, Plaintiff’s counsel of 

record in this action, paralegals, secretarial employees under counsel’s direct 

supervision, and such persons employed to act as experts in this action. At the 

conclusion of the proceedings in this action, all documents and information subject to 

this Stipulation, including any copies or extracts or summaries thereof, or documents 

containing information taken therefrom, shall be returned to counsel for the Defendant, 

at defense counsel’s written request. 

 3. Prior to disclosure of any documents designated as “confidential” to 

paralegals or secretarial employees of counsel or Plaintiff, counsel for Plaintiff shall 

require such employees to read this Stipulation and any Orders of the Court pursuant 

hereto and agree to be bound by its terms. 

 4. If counsel for Plaintiff determines that for purposes of this action, 

documents or information produced by the Defendant and designated as “confidential” 

must be revealed to a person employed to act as an expert in this action, then counsel 

may reveal the designated documents or information to such person, after first 

complying with the following: 

(a) Counsel for the Plaintiff shall have the expert read this Order and shall 

explain the contents thereof to such expert. 

(b) Counsel for the Plaintiff shall require such expert to sign a copy of this 

protective order that states: “I have read and understood the terms of this 

protective order. I further agree to be bound by its terms.” Nothing in 

this paragraph shall be deemed to enlarge the right of Defendant to 

conduct discovery of any of Plaintiff’s experts, except solely with respect 

to the ability of such expert to protect confidential information and 

documents from re-disclosure. 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 4 of 7
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ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

5. The Court’s Order pursuant to this Stipulation is subject to revocation and 

modification by Order of the Court upon written stipulation of the parties, or upon 

motion and reasonable notice, including opportunity for hearing and presentation of 

evidence. 

 6. Nothing contained in this Stipulation is intended or should be construed 

as authorizing a party in this action to disobey a lawful subpoena issued in another 

action. 

Based on the foregoing, Plaintiff HELEN RIVARD and Defendant LOWE’S 

HOME CENTERS, LLC hereby request that this Court issue a protective 

order governing the treatment of confidential information in this matter. 

FOR GOOD CAUSE SHOWN, IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATE: DATE: October 27, 2017 

 

 Peter C. Lewis 

 United States Magistrate Judge 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 5 of 7
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ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

PROOF OF SERVICE 

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES 

1. At the time of service I was at least 18 years of age and not a party to this legal action.

2. My business address is 15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403.

3. I served copies of the following documents (specify the exact title of each document served): 

[PROPOSED] ORDER 

4. I served the documents listed above in item 3 on the following persons at the addresses listed:

George E. Fleming, Esq,

Melisa McKellar, Esq. 

FLEMING, PC 

4225 Executive Square, No. 200 

La Jolla, CA 92034 

(858) 554-0500; (858) 554-0673 – Fax 

Attorneys for Plaintiff, 

HELEN RIVARD 

5. a. By personal service. I personally delivered the documents on the date shown 

below to the persons at the addresses listed above in item 4. (1) For a party 

represented by an attorney, delivery was made to the attorney or at the attorney's 

office by leaving the documents in an envelope or package clearly labeled to 

identify the attorney being served with a receptionist or an individual in charge of 

the office. (2) For a party delivery was made to the party or by leaving the 

documents at the party's residence between the hours of eight in the morning and six 

in the evening with some person not less than 18 years of age. 

b. X By United States mail. I enclosed the documents in a sealed envelope or package 

addressed to the persons at the addresses in item 4 and (specify one): 

 (1) deposited the sealed envelope with the United States Postal Service, with 

the postage fully prepaid on the date shown below, or 

 (2) X placed the envelope for collection and mailing on the date shown below, 

following our ordinary business practices. I am readily familiar with this 

business's practice for collecting and processing correspondence for 

mailing. On the same day that correspondence is placed for collection and 

mailing, it is deposited in the ordinary course of business with the United 

States Postal Service, in a sealed envelope with postage fully prepaid. 

 I am a resident or employed in the county where the mailing occurred. The envelope 

or package was placed in the mail at Sherman Oaks, California. 

Case 3:17-cv-00974-CAB-PCL Document 16 Filed 10/27/17 PageID.<pageID> Page 6 of 7
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ORDER

 Helen Rivard v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC 

Case No.: 3:17-cv-974-CAB-JLB 

THARPE & HOWELL, LLP

15250 Ventura Boulevard, Ninth Floor 

Sherman Oaks, California 91403-3221 

c. By overnight delivery. I enclosed the documents on the date shown below in an 

envelope or package provided by an overnight delivery carrier and addressed to the 

person at the addresses in item 4. I placed the envelope or package for collection and 

overnight delivery at an office or a regularly utilized drop box of the overnight delivery 

carrier. 

d. By messenger service. I served the documents on the date shown below by placing 

them in an envelope or package addressed to the person on the addresses listed in 

item 4 and providing them to a professional messenger service for service. 

e. By fax transmission. Based on an agreement of the parties to accept service by fax 

transmission, I faxed the documents on the date shown below to the fax numbers of 

the persons listed in item 4. No error was reported by the fax machine that I used. A 

copy of the fax transmission, which I printed out, is attached to my file copy. 

f. By e-mail or electronic transmission. Based on an agreement of the parties to 

accept service by e-mail or electronic transmission, I caused the documents to be sent 

on the date shown below to the e-mail addresses of the persons listed in item 4. I did 

not receive within a reasonable time after the transmission any electronic message or 

other indication that the transmission was unsuccessful. 

6. I served the documents by the means described in item 5 on (date): See below

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true 

and correct. 

DATE (TYPE OR PRINT NAME) (SIGNATURE OF DECLARANT)

I:\28000-000\28182\Discovery\Federal\Proposed Order.docx

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