Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-03345/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-03345-50/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 830
Nature of Suit: Patent
Cause of Action: 35:271 Patent Infringement

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

FINISAR CORPORATION,

Plaintiff,

v.

NISTICA, INC.,

Defendant.

Case No. 13-cv-03345-BLF 

OMNIBUS ORDER REGARDING 

SEALING MOTIONS

[Re: ECF 689, 695, 698]

Before the Court are the parties’ administrative motions to file under seal portions of their 

briefing and exhibits in connection with their post-trial briefing. ECF 689, 695, and 698. For the 

reasons stated below, the motions are GRANTED.

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 and Cnty. 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)). Consequently, access to motions and their attachments that are 

“more than tangentially related to the merits of a case” may be sealed only upon a showing of 

“compelling reasons” for sealing. Ctr. for Auto Safety v. Chrysler Grp., LLC, 809 F.3d 1092, 

1101–02 (9th Cir. 2016). Filings that are only tangentially related to the merits may be sealed 

upon a lesser showing of “good cause.” Id. at 1097. 

In addition, sealing motions filed in this district must be “narrowly tailored to seek sealing 

only of sealable material.” Civil L.R. 79-5(b). A party moving to seal a document in whole or in 

part must file a declaration establishing that the identified material is “sealable.” 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 

Case 5:13-cv-03345-BLF Document 702 Filed 08/17/16 Page 1 of 3
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

sealable.” Id. 

II. DISCUSSION

The Court has reviewed the parties’ sealing motions and respective declarations in support 

thereof. The Court finds the parties have articulated compelling reasons to seal the submitted 

documents. The proposed redactions are also narrowly tailored. The Court’s rulings on the 

sealing request are set forth in the tables below:

A. ECF 689

Identification of Documents 

to be Sealed

Description of Documents Court’s Order

Finisar’s Renewed Motion for 

JMOL Pursuant to 50(b) and 

Motion for New Trial Pursuant 

to 59(a)

Quotes to and references 

below exhibits

GRANTED

Exhibit A Contains confidential and 

proprietary technical details 

regarding Nistica’s products, 

including citations, quotations, 

discussion, and figures taken 

from Nistica documents

GRANTED

Exhibits B and C Confidential and proprietary 

technical details regarding 

Nistica’s and Finisar’s 

products that could cause 

significant competitive harm to 

Finisar and Nistica if disclosed 

to the public

GRANTED

Exhibits D and E Simulated image Nistica 

claims was generated through 

use of confidential and 

proprietary technical models 

representing Nistica’s products 

GRANTED

Exhibit G This exhibit cites to, describes, 

and attaches as exhibits 

screenshots generated through 

use of confidential and 

proprietary technical models

GRANTED

B. ECF 695

Identification of Documents 

to be Sealed

Description of Documents Court’s Order

Opposition to Finisar’s 

Renewed Motion for JMOL 

Pursuant to 50(b) and Motion 

for New Trial Pursuant to 

59(a)

Contain confidential 

information about Nistica's 

confidential, trade secret, and 

proprietary product 

information relating to its 

GRANTED

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United States District Court

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accused products, development 

projects, and engineering 

practices.

Exhibits 1-4 Contains confidential 

information about Nistica's 

confidential, trade secret, and 

proprietary product 

information relating to its 

accused products, development 

projects, and engineering 

practices.

GRANTED

C. ECF 698

Identification of Documents 

to be Sealed

Description of Documents Court’s Order

Reply to Finisar’s Renewed 

Motion for JMOL Pursuant to 

50(b) and Motion for New 

Trial Pursuant to 59(a)

Quotes from, and cites sealed 

trial testimony concerning 

Nistica’s confidential and 

proprietary technical 

information

GRANTED

Exhibit K Describes, quotes from, and 

cites Nistica’s technical 

documents. Disclosure of this 

information could expose 

Nistica’s confidential and 

proprietary technical 

information and other 

competitively sensitive 

information to the public, 

potentially resulting in 

significant competitive harm to 

Nistica

GRANTED

III. ORDER

For the foregoing reasons, the sealing motions at ECF 689, 695, and 698 are GRANTED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 17, 2016

 ______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:13-cv-03345-BLF Document 702 Filed 08/17/16 Page 3 of 3