Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04312/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04312-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Conseco Health Insurance Company
Defendant
Anita D. Paratley
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

1

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

LAW OFFICES OF MARC J. WODIN

Marc J. Wodin, Esq. - SBN 79573

21600 Oxnard Street, Suite 1110

Woodland Hills, California 91367

Telephone (818) 595-3490

Fax (818) 595-3494

Attorneys for Defendant CONSECO HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANITA D. PARATLEY,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CONSECO HEALTH INSURANCE

COMPANY and DOES 1 through

10,

inclusive,

Defendants. _____________________________

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

CASE NO. C-05-4312 (MMC)

[San Francisco County Superior

Court Case No. 05-445379]

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

Assigned to: The Honorable

Maxine M. Chesney

This Stipulated Protective Order is hereby entered into

between the parties and their attorneys in this action. The

purpose of this Stipulated Protective Order is to protect against

disclosure of confidential and/or proprietary information that is

set forth below.

GOOD CAUSE STATEMENT

This is an action brought by an insured against an insurer

arising from the denial of a claim for benefits under an

insurance policy. Plaintiff Anita D. Paratley “Plaintiff”) is

seeking the claims manual of defendant Conseco Health Insurance

Company (“Defendant”) which contains information which is

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 1 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

2

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

private, confidential and trade secret as defined under

California Civil Code §3426.1, which definition is incorporated

herein by reference. 

Defendant utilizes a number of computer operating systems,

including systems which are inter-related in various respects. 

Defendant’s claim processing includes the use of a computer

operating system. This system was specifically designed and

created for use by defendant, and its claims personnel, who are

specially trained in its use. 

Defendant has a claims manual which was designed and created

for the use of defendant’s personnel in conjunction with this

computer operating system. It contains numerous references to the

system and components thereof. It contains operational

information, codes, and links.

The manual contains information concerning defendant’s

computer operating systems, and claim processing, which could be

of interest to third parties, including defendant’s competitors,

and others, and might be used by such third parties, in ways

which could damage and injure defendant in the conduct of its

business.

The manual was designed and created for the sole use of

defendant and was not intended to be disclosed to third parties. 

Disclosure of the manual, or information contained therein, to

third parties, absent a protective order, could be severely

prejudicial to defendant.

Further, plaintiff intends to notice the depositions of

defendant’s personnel and will or may be questioning such

personnel about the claims manual, information contained therein,

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 2 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

3

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

information related thereto, which is private, confidential and

trade secret, as defined under California Civil Code §3426.1. 

Further, plaintiff may serve additional written discovery,

including interrogatories, documents requests, and admissions, in

which she will or may be questioning defendant about the claims

manual, information contained therein, and information related

thereto, which is private, confidential and trade secret, as

defined under California Civil Code §3426.1. It is reasonably

necessary that such documents, testimony and discovery responses

be protected from disclosure, except as set forth in this

Stipulated Protective Order.

The parties hereby stipulate to the following protective

order:

1. The following procedures shall be employed and the

following terms, conditions and restrictions shall govern with

respect to the claims manual produced by defendant Conseco Health

Insurance Company (“Defendant”) which contains information which

is private, confidential and trade secret as defined under

California Civil Code §3426.1, including all writings and

information contained therein, (as broadly defined in Federal

Rules of Evidence, Rule 1001) and all deposition testimony,

deposition exhibits, interrogatories, documents requests, and

admissions relating to the claims manual (the “Discovery

Material”).

2. The parties agree that persons employed by the United

States District Courts in California have no duty to the parties

to protect or maintain the alleged confidentiality of any

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 3 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

4

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

information in any papers filed with the Court.

3. All Discovery Material, which a producing party or

producing third party believes in good faith to be and is, in

fact, entitled to protection from public disclosure under

governing law, shall be designated as “CONFIDENTIAL” at the time

of production (hereinafter “Confidential Material”) except as

otherwise provided herein.

4. Discovery Material may be designated as Confidential

Material as follows:

 A. Documents shall be designated as confidential by

being stamped or marked CONFIDENTIAL. Multi-paged documents

can be designated CONFIDENTIAL by stamping or marking the

first page only of such document.

 B. Depositions may be designated CONFIDENTIAL by

stamping or marking the face sheet of the transcript (or

marking on a videotape) accordingly.

 C. For applications and motions to the Court in which

a party seeks to submit Confidential Material, the entire

original application or motion and judges copy containing

the confidential material shall be filed with the Court in

separate sealed envelopes or other appropriately sealed

containers on which shall be endorsed the title of the

action to which it pertains, an indication of the nature of

the contents of the sealed envelope or other container, the

word “CONFIDENTIAL” and a statement substantially in the

form:

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 4 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

5

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

This envelope is sealed pursuant to order of

the Court, contains confidential information,

and is not to be opened or the contents

revealed except by order of the Court.

A proposed order shall also be presented to the judge

along with the Confidential material submitted for filing under

seal.

D. Any Court hearing which refers to or describes

Confidential Material shall in the Court’s discretion be in 

camera.

E. Notwithstanding the above, any party may apply to

the Court allowing the filing of papers containing

Confidential Material, if that party believes the filing of

the papers is necessary for a complete record. Any such

papers shall be presented to the Court by the submitting

party in accordance with “4(C)” above. Any papers

containing Confidential Material shall be returned to the

submitting party upon dismissal or final judgment in the

action.

 F. Any party may designate as CONFIDENTIAL any

Discovery Material produced by a third party, if that party

believes in good faith that such Discovery Material is

entitled to protection from disclosure under the terms of

this Order, as though it had been produced by a party to

this action. Such designation shall be made by giving

written notice to all parties, and the producing party,

within 30 days after the date of production of the Discovery

Material to be so designated.

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 5 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

6

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

5. Confidential Material, the information contained

therein, and any summaries, copies, or abstracts of that

information shall not be disclosed for any purpose other than the

prosecution, defense, or settlement of this action and shall not

be disclosed or made available to anyone other than “qualified

persons” as defined below. 

6. “Qualified persons” are: 

A. the Court, including judicial employees and other

necessary personnel such as court reporters;

B. the parties;

C. jurors at trial; 

D. trial witnesses or deponents, their attorneys, if

any;

E. court reporters, transcribers, notary publics, or

stenographers;

F. the attorneys of record for a party, any attorneys

of record for a party, any attorney of a law firm designated

as attorneys of record for a party, in-house attorneys of a

party, and the necessary paralegal, clerical, and

secretarial staff employed by such counsel in this action;

G. designated experts and/or consultants retained by

any party and/or their counsel solely for the purpose of

discovery in this litigation or assisting in the preparation

of this litigation for trial;

H. expert witnesses at any deposition or other hearing

in this action;

I. any authors or identified original recipients of

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 6 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

7

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

the Confidential Material; and

J. any other persons as to whom the parties in writing

agree, or as may be designated by order of the Court after

reasonable notice to the parties.

7. Only the attorneys of record for the parties in the

above-captioned lawsuit may authorize copies to be made of the

Confidential Material. All Qualified persons shall be subject to

this order enjoining them from disclosing the Confidential

Material to any person, except in conformity with this Order.

8. Under no circumstances shall any party provide the

Confidential Matter to any competitor of defendant, unless the

defendant’s written authorization is first obtained.

9. All witnesses, including expert witnesses, and/or

consultants to whom a party desires to disclose Confidential

Material, other than authors or identified original recipients,

must sign the document, in the form of Exhibit “A” attached

hereto, prior to the disclosure of Confidential Material to such

person. At the conclusion of the case, counsel for all parties

shall provide opposing counsel copies of all Confidentiality

Agreements executed pursuant to this Order, except for

undisclosed consultants.

10. In the event that Confidential Material are used in any

court proceeding in this action, other than trial, they shall not

lose their confidential status through such use, and the parties

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 7 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

8

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

will cooperate in taking reasonable steps to protect their

confidentiality during such use. This Order shall not be deemed

a waiver of any party’s right to object to the production,

disclosure or admissibility of Confidential Material or the

taking of any testimony or other evidence on any basis other than

their confidential status pursuant to this Order.

11. This Order shall continue to be binding after the

conclusion of this litigation. However, a party may seek written

permission of the opposing parties or further order of the Court

with respect to dissolution or modification of this Order at any

time.

12. Within thirty (30) days after conclusion of this case,

counsel shall assemble and return to the other counsel all copies

of Confidential Material in their possession and in the

possession of any person to whom they have disseminated

Confidential Material, including undisclosed consultants, or may

destroy them. Counsel of record for a party returning or

destroying Confidential Material will verify that same has been

accomplished and will verify that no other such Confidential

Material exists in the custody, control or possession of that

party, its counsel, its agents or any consultants, whether or not

disclosed. Counsel may retain copies of briefs filed with the

Court and attorney work product so long as maintained in

accordance with this Order.

13. All documents marked “CONFIDENTIAL” will be treated as

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 8 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

9

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

Confidential Material until a court orders or the parties agree

otherwise.

14. Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Order

shall:

 A. limit any party in the introduction of Confidential

Material into evidence, subject to the designating party’s

right to seek protection from the court;

 B. prevent a party from objecting to discovery which

it believes to be improper; or

 C. limit any party’s disclosure or use of Confidential

Material that were produced by that party.

 D. constitute an admission by a party that material

designated confidential by another party, is, in fact,

confidential or limit a party’s right to assert such

materials are not confidential.

15. Any Confidential Material that was or is inadvertently

produced without a “CONFIDENTIAL” stamp on it or that was

previously produced in anticipation of the entry of this

Protective Order, may be designated as confidential by a writing

to the receiving party that identifies the documents intended to

be confidential.

16. If any party is served with a subpoena to produce

Confidential Material, or ordered by the Court to do so, the

party shall give immediate written notice to the non-subpoenaed

party to allow the non-subpoenaed party to seek protection by the

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 9 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

10

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

Court or appointed discovery referee.

17. The parties and all third parties subject to discovery

in this action or who receive a copy of this Order, hereby

consent to the jurisdiction of this Court for the purpose of

enforcement of the provisions of this Order with respect to this

action, and the Court hereby retains jurisdiction to interpret

and enforce this Order under the laws of the United States of

America. Confidential Material may be shown to trial witnesses

and their attorneys, if any, at trial, whether or not counsel has

first obtained an agreement with the trial witness or his or her

attorney(s) to hold such material confidential, as such trial

witnesses shall be bound by this Order.

18. The parties and their respective attorneys are in

agreement concerning the above terms of this Stipulated

Protective Order as acknowledged hereafter by the signatures of

the attorneys for the parties, and have requested the Court to

enter this Stipulated Protective Order.

DATED: February 6, 2006

DATED:

LAW OFFICES OF MARC J. WODIN

By: ____________________________

 /s/ MARC J. WODIN

Attorneys for Defendant CONSECO

HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY

FRIEDMAN, RUBIN & WHITE, LLP

By:___________________________

 MICHAEL WHITE

Attorney for Plaintiff ANITA D. 

PARATLEY

/s/

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 10 of 11
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

Law Offices 

Marc J. Wodin

11

STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER

DATED:

By:___________________________

 RICHARD A. SELTZER

Attorney for Plaintiff ANITA D. 

PARATLEY

ORDER

Upon due consideration of the Stipulated Protective Order,

IT IS HEREBY ADOPTED AS ORDER OF THIS COURT.

DATED:

 __________________________________ THE HONORABLE MAXINE M. CHESNEY

 DISTRICT JUDGE OF THE UNITED

 STATES DISTRICT COURT for the

 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

, with the exceptions that (1) if

only a portion of a document a party seeks to file under seal includes confidential matter, the

filing party must comply with Civil Local Rule 79-5(c); and (2) upon dismissal or entry of final

judgment, the Clerk of the Court shall not return to the filing party any documents

filed under seal, see Civil Local Rule 79-5(f).

DATED: February 8, 2006.

February 4, 2006

/s/

Case 3:05-cv-04312-MMC Document 19 Filed 02/08/06 Page 11 of 11