Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01682/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01682-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:2000e Job Discrimination (Employment)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

YOUSSEF SHAPOUR,

Plaintiff,

vs.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, Department of 

Transportation,

Defendant.

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Case No. 1:13-cv-01682-BAM

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S EX 

PARTE APPLICATION TO SEAL 

EXHIBITS A-E IN SUPPORT OF 

DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR 

PROTECTIVE ORDER TO PREVENT 

PLAINTIFF FROM CALLING MALCOLM 

DOUGHERTY AT TRIAL

(Doc. 57)

On January 27, 2016, Defendant State of California, Department of Transportation 

(“Defendant”) filed a motion for protective order to prevent Plaintiff from calling Director 

Malcom Dougherty at trial. (Doc. 53). On January 29, 2016, Defendant filed the instant ex parte 

request to seal exhibits A-E in support of the motion for protective order. (Doc. 57). 

A party seeking to seal “private materials unearthed during discovery,” or to maintain the 

sealing of such materials when attached to non-dispositive motions, need only demonstrate 

“good cause” to justify sealing. Pintos v. Pac. Creditors Ass'n, 605 F.3d 665, 678 (9th Cir. 

2010); Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c).

Defendant identifies the exhibits as follows: 

Exhibit A is an e-mail from Plaintiff which discloses personnel information about 

his erstwhile colleagues, including that some were named as respondents in EEO 

Complaints. Exhibit B is an e-mail intended to begin a meet and confer process 

which identifies disciplinary actions taken against the Plaintiff. Exhibit C is a 

Case 1:13-cv-01682-BAM Document 74 Filed 02/23/16 Page 1 of 3
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Notice of Corrective Action sent from the Plaintiff’s district to the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Program in Sacramento. Exhibit D is a notice of case 

closure that identifies not only Plaintiff, but two other respondents who are not 

parties to the instant suit. Exhibit E is a Letter of Warning that was issued to 

Plaintiff.

Doc. 57 at 2. Defendant contends that these exhibits should be sealed to protect the privacy 

rights of individuals in their personnel records and employment history. Plaintiff has not 

objected to the sealing of these records. 

The Court has conducted an in camera review of the documents to determine if the 

information is of a nature that clearly would require the court to maintain confidentiality. 

“Federal courts have recognized the privacy protection accorded to a person’s personnel records 

and employment information under the California Constitution.” Newman v. San Joaquin Delta 

Community Coll. Dist., No. 2:09-cv-03441 WBS-KJN, 2011 WL 1743686, at * 3 n. 6 (E.D. Cal. 

May 6, 2011); see also Estate of Elkins v. California Highway Patrol, No. 1:13-cv-01483-AWISAB, 2015 WL 6707597, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 3, 2015) (finding that some weight should be 

given to the privacy rights protected by state constitutions and statutes). In this instance, the 

exhibits at issue contain confidential personnel and employment information related not only to 

Plaintiff, but also to non-parties. Defendant has therefore established good cause for sealing. 

Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Defendant’s ex parte application to seal exhibits A-E in support of the motion for 

protective order is GRANTED. 

2. The documents shall remain under seal until they are ordered unsealed by the 

Court; and

3. Defendant shall submit the documents for filing under seal in accordance with 

Local Rule 141. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 22, 2016 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-01682-BAM Document 74 Filed 02/23/16 Page 2 of 3
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Case 1:13-cv-01682-BAM Document 74 Filed 02/23/16 Page 3 of 3