Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_14-cv-03750/USCOURTS-cand-5_14-cv-03750-25/pdf.json

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

---

1

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

CORNING OPTICAL 

COMMUNICATIONS WIRELESS LTD.,

Plaintiff,

v.

SOLID, INC., et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO 

SEAL

(Re: Docket Nos. 426, 440, 444, 447)

Before the court are four administrative motions to seal.1 “Historically, courts have 

recognized a ‘general right to inspect and copy public records and documents, including judicial 

records and documents.’”2 Accordingly, when considering a sealing request, “a ‘strong 

presumption in favor of access’ is the starting point.”3 Parties seeking to seal judicial records 

relating to dispositive motions bear the burden of overcoming the presumption with “compelling 

reasons” that outweigh the general history of access and the public policies favoring disclosure.4

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 

 

1

See Docket Nos. 426, 440, 444, 447.

2 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)).

3

Id. (quoting Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003)).

4

Id. at 1178-79.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 1 of 9
2

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

their competitive interest.”5 Records attached to nondispositive motions therefore are not subject 

to the strong presumption of access.6 Because the documents attached to nondispositive motions 

“are often unrelated, or only tangentially related, to the underlying cause of action,” parties 

moving to seal must meet the lower “good cause” standard of Rule 26(c).7 As with dispositive 

motions, the standard applicable to nondispositive motions requires a “particularized showing”8

that “specific prejudice or harm will result” if the information is disclosed.9 “Broad allegations of 

harm, unsubstantiated by specific examples of articulated reasoning” will not suffice.10 A 

protective order sealing the documents during discovery may reflect the court’s previous 

determination that good cause exists to keep the documents sealed,11 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.12

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 

 

5

Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., 727 F.3d 1214, 1228-29 (Fed. Cir. 2013). 

6

See id. at 1180.

7

Id. at 1179 (internal quotations and citations omitted).

8

Id.

9

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).

10 Beckman Indus., Inc. v. Int’l Ins. Co., 966 F.2d 470, 476 (9th Cir. 1992).

11 See Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179-80.

12 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.”).

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 2 of 9
3

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

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).”13 “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.”14

With these standards in mind, the court rules on the instant motions as follows: 

Motion 

to Seal

Document to be Sealed Result Reason/Explanation

426 Defendants’ Motion for 

Attorney’s Fees

Designations highlighted in 

yellow on pages v, 17-19 at 

Docket No. 426-5 SEALED; all 

other designations UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information. The 

designating party has 

indicated that some 

designations may be 

filed publicly.15

426 Declaration of Christian 

Platt in Support of 

Defendants’ Motion for 

Attorney’s Fees

Designations highlighted in 

yellow at Docket No. 426-8 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Designated portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

426 Exhibit 9 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 52)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.16

 

13 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 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).

14 Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

15 See Docket No. 432 at 2 n.1.

16 See id.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 3 of 9
4

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

426 Exhibit 10 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 53)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.17

426 Exhibit 11 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 54)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.18

426 Exhibit 12 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 58)

Designations highlighted in 

black at Docket No. 453-3 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

426 Exhibit 13 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 74)

Designations highlighted in 

black at Docket No. 453-4 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

426 Exhibit 14 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 78)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.19

426 Exhibit 15 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 88)

Docket No. 426-30 at TX0088-

003, TX0088-005 to -014, 

TX0088-016 to -018, TX0088-

022 to -024 SEALED; all other 

designations UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

426 Exhibit 16 to the Platt 

Declaration (excerpt of TX 

97)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.20

 

17 See id.

18 See id.

19 See id.

20 See id.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 4 of 9
5

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

426 Exhibit 17 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 111)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.21

426 Exhibit 18 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 112)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.22

426 Exhibit 19 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 113)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.23

426 Exhibit 20 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 116)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.24

426 Exhibit 22 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 2167)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.25

426 Exhibit 23 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 2169)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.26

 

21 See id.

22 See id.

23 See id.

24 See id.

25 See id.

26 See id.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 5 of 9
6

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

426 Exhibit 24 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 2286)

UNSEALED Not narrowly tailored 

to confidential 

business information.

426 Exhibit 28 to the Platt 

Declaration (O’Day Tr.)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.27

426 Exhibit 29 to the Platt 

Declaration (Shapira Tr.)

UNSEALED The designating party 

has indicated that the 

document may be 

filed publicly.28

426 Exhibit 42 to the Platt 

Declaration (AIPLA 

Report)

Contents of table on page I-108 

at Docket No. 426-69 SEALED; 

all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

information not 

publicly available.

440 Trial Exhibit 155-16 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

440 Trial Exhibit 155-62 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

440 Trial Exhibit 203 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

440 Trial Exhibit 206 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

 

27 See id.

28 See id.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 6 of 9
7

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

440 Trial Exhibit 253 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

440 Trial Exhibit 263 UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

440 Trial Exhibit 293 SEALED except for pages 1, 5, 

7, 18, 19, 27 and 37.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 294 SEALED except for pages 1, 7 

and 13.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 361 SEALED except for pages 1, 2, 

4, 5, 10, 15 and 19.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 362 SEALED except for page 1. Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 363 SEALED except for pages 1, 2, 

3, 9, 10 and 11.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 7 of 9
8

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

440 Trial Exhibit 364 SEALED except for page 1. Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 366 SEALED except for page 1. Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 367 SEALED except for page 1. Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 1019 SEALED Narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

440 Trial Exhibit 1036 SEALED except for rows 1 and 

2162.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

440 Trial Exhibit 1053 SEALED except for pages 1, 13, 

135, 201, 211, 214, 218, 248, 

267, 272, 452, 468, 471, 490 and 

532.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information and not 

previously disclosed 

at trial.

444 Plaintiff’s Opposition to 

Motion for Attorney’s Fees

Designations highlighted in 

black at Docket No. 444-3 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Designated portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 8 of 9
9

Case No. 14-cv-03750-PSG

OMNIBUS ORDER RE: MOTIONS TO SEAL

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

447 Exhibit 10 to the Platt 

Declaration (excerpts from 

TX 54)

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

447 Exhibit 11 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 58)

Designations highlighted in 

black at Docket No. 453-3 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

447 Exhibit 12 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 74)

Designations highlighted in 

black at Docket No. 453-4 

SEALED; all other designations 

UNSEALED.

Only sealed portions 

narrowly tailored to 

confidential business 

information.

447 Exhibit 14 to the Platt 

Declaration (TX 2167)

UNSEALED No declaration in 

support filed with the 

court as required by 

Civ. L.R. 79-5(e)(1).

SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 5, 2016

_________________________________

PAUL S. GREWAL

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 5:14-cv-03750-PSG Document 460 Filed 01/05/16 Page 9 of 9