Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00989/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00989-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Atlas Disposal Industries, LLC
Plaintiff
BFI Waste Systems of North America, Inc.
Defendant

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 1

THOMAS M. BRUEN (SB# 63324)

ERIK A. REINERTSON (SB# 218031)

LAW OFFICES OF THOMAS M. BRUEN 

A Professional Corporation 

1990 N. California Boulevard, Suite 940 

Walnut Creek, CA 94596 

Telephone: (925) 295-3131 

Facsimile: (925) 295-3132 

tbruen@sbcglobal.net

Attorneys for Defendant 

BFI WASTE SYSTEMS OF NORTH 

AMERICA, INC. 

HANSON BRIDGETT MARCUS VLAHOS & RUDY, LLP 

WILLIAM D. TAYLOR (SBN 51689)

JAMES T. CAHALAN (SBN 166961) 

980 Ninth Street, Suite 1500 

Sacramento, CA 95814 

Telephone: (916) 442-3333 

Facsimile: (916) 442-2348 

jcahalan@hansonbridgett.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ATLAS DISPOSAL INDUSTRIES, LLC 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

ATLAS DISPOSAL INDUSTRIES, LLC 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

BFI WASTE SYSTEMS OF NORTH 

AMERICA, INC., 

Defendant. 

_______________________________________

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Case No. 2:05-cv-0989 MCE KJM 

STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE

ORDER AND ORDER 

Plaintiff ATLAS DISPOSAL INDUSTRIES, LLC and Defendant BFI WASTE SYSTEMS

OF NORTH AMERICA, INC., by and through their respective undersigned counsel, hereby enter

into this Stipulation for Protective Order as follows: 

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Case 2:05-cv-00989-MCE -KJM Document 34 Filed 11/30/06 Page 1 of 8
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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 2

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Defendant has propounded to Plaintiff requests for the production of documents

and things, requesting various documents and financial information of the Defendant, and may

propound additional requests for the production of documents and other written discovery; and 

WHEREAS, Plaintiff has raised various objections to producing the requested documents

and information; and 

WHEREAS, Plaintiff’s Counsel and Defendant’s Counsel “met-and-conferred” regarding the

production of the requested documents and information; and 

WHEREAS, Plaintiff contends that said documents and information contain confidential

trade secret and proprietary information of the Defendant relative to its business in the solid waste

industry; and

WHEREAS, Plaintiff is willing to allow Defendant’s Counsel (including such counsel’s

employees), Defendant’s retained consultants/expert witnesses, Allied Waste Industries’ in house

legal counsel and Defendant’s designated employees, Mike Caprio and Jerry Mayberry, to receive

and review the requested documents and financial information, subject to the terms of this

Stipulation and Order; and

NOW, THEREFORE, Plaintiff, Defendant and their respective Counsel (hereinafter referred

to collectively as “the Parties”) stipulate and agree as follows: 

1. Protection of Confidential Information. 

The Parties hereby acknowledge, understand and agree that all Confidential Information as

described in Section 2, is claimed by Plaintiff to be of a confidential and proprietary nature, and shall

be at all times be regarded, treated and strictly protected as Confidential Information in accordance

with this Stipulation and Order by Defendant’s Counsel, Defendant, and any consultants, experts and

employees of Defendant’s Counsel receiving any of such Confidential Information, unless otherwise

stipulated by counsel or ordered by the Court. 

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 3

2. Definition of Confidential Information. 

“Confidential Information” shall mean any and all documents and information marked or

otherwise clearly designated (including a designation on the record at a deposition) by Plaintiff’s

Counsel as confidential at or about the time such documents and/or information are produced or

disclosed to Defendant’s Counsel. Documents and things may be designated as “Confidential

Information” by marking or stamping them with the word “Confidential.” “Confidential

Information” shall include copies of any documents designated or marked as “Confidential,” the

contents of any such documents, and information directly derived from such Confidential

Information. Plaintiff’s Counsel shall act in good faith when designating such documents and things

as “Confidential.” 

3. Covenants of Defendant’s Counsel, Defendant and Its Experts. 

Defendant’s Counsel, and any expert consultants, witnesses and employees of Defendant and

Defendant’s Counsel permitted to have access to Confidential Information pursuant to this

Stipulation and Order, acknowledge that the documents and information provided by Plaintiff

pursuant to this Stipulation shall be kept in strict confidence, as defined herein, in accordance with

the terms of this Stipulation. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing:

A. No Disclosure of Confidential Information. Except as provided herein, neither

Defendant, Defendant’s Counsel, or any expert consultants, witnesses and employees of Defendant’s

Counsel or any other person permitted to have access to Confidential Information pursuant to this

Stipulation and Order, will disclose any Confidential Information to any other person or entity (other

than the above categories of persons bound by this Stipulation and Order) without first obtaining

Plaintiff’s Counsel’s prior written consent; provided, however, that Defendant’s counsel and

Defendant may disclose Confidential Information without such consent to court reporters at

depositions in this litigation, to the Court, to any jury hearing this action, and to court personnel, in

pleadings, papers, correspondence and oral argument submitted to the Court or used in connection

with this litigation. 

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 4

Defendant, Defendant’s Counsel and any expert consultants, witnesses and employees of

Defendant’s Counsel or any other person permitted to have access to Confidential Information

pursuant to this Stipulation and Order will take all reasonable precautions to prevent the inadvertent

disclosure of such Confidential Information. Such precautions will include, but are not limited to,

appropriate instructions to Defendant’s Counsel’s support staff to comply with the terms and

provisions of this Stipulation and Order. 

B. Procedure for Authorized Disclosure. Except as provided in the prior paragraph

with respect to court reporters and court proceedings, if Defendant’s Counsel desire to provide any

Confidential Information to any person other Defendant’s Counsel’s support staff, Mike Caprio,

Jerry Mayberry, Everett Harry and personnel of Harry & Torchiana (Defendant’s current expert

consultants), or Allied Waste Industries’ in house legal counsel, they shall, at least five (5) full

business days before providing such Confidential Information to said person: (1) deliver a written

notice (by facsimile or overnight express delivery) to Plaintiff’s Counsel, stating the name, address

and business affiliation of the person; and (2) provide to such person a copy of this Stipulation and

Order along with a written notice that such person or entity is subject to all the terms of this

Stipulation and Order, to the same extent as Defendant’s Counsel, obtain such person’s signature on

a form of acknowledgment stating the following

“The undersigned has received, read and is familiar with the

Stipulation and Order re Confidential Information entered in the case

of Atlas Disposal Industries, LLC v. Browning-Ferris Industries of

North America, Inc, United States District Court, Case No.

No.05CV989 MCE KJM (“the Litigation”), and agrees to be bound by

all of its terms and provisions. The undersigned agrees to keep

confidential all Confidential Information, including any documents or

information designated or marked as “Confidential,” and not to

disclose such Confidential Information to other persons or use such

Confidential Information for any purpose other than as necessary for

the Litigation, except as permitted by Plaintiff’s Counsel or the Court.”

and provide such signed acknowledgment and Stipulation and Order to Plaintiff’s Counsel. 

If Plaintiff’s Counsel does not object in writing in advance of said disclosure, Defendant’s 

Counsel may proceed with the disclosure of Confidential Information to said person in accordance

with the terms and provisions of this Stipulation and Order. 

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 5

If Plaintiff’s Counsel does object in writing to said disclosure, Defendant’s Counsel shall not make

the disclosure, pending an Order of the Court authorizing such disclosure; provided, however, that

the Plaintiff must file a motion with the Court within ten (10) business days after serving its

objection on Defendant’s Counsel to enforce the objection. Plaintiff’s Counsel shall not

unreasonably withhold their consent to the proposed disclosure to a third party for purposes of this

litigation. Plaintiff shall have the burden of proving that the Confidential Information is confidential

information of the Plaintiff and that the Defendant would be harmed or prejudiced by the disclosure

of such Confidential Information to the person proposed by Defendant’s Counsel. If the Plaintiff

does not file a motion within the ten (10) day time limit specified above, Plaintiff’s objection to such

disclosure shall be deemed waived. The Parties acknowledge that the purpose of this provision is to

prevent the disclosure of Confidential Information to persons, such as competitors of Plaintiff or

their advisors, who may be in a position to use such Confidential Information adversely to the

Plaintiff.

C. Disclosure to Court Reporters. If Defendant’s Counsel wishes to examine any

witness regarding Confidential Information during a deposition, Plaintiff’s Counsel may request that

all questions and answer regarding such information be separately transcribed and placed in a

separate deposition booklet, which shall itself be treated as Confidential Information pursuant to this

Stipulation and Order. All exhibits containing Confidential Information shall be appended to such

separate deposition booklet.

4. No Use of Information for Purposes Other than this Civil Action. 

Any Confidential Information provided by Plaintiff pursuant to this Stipulation and Order

shall not be used by Defendant’s Counsel, Defendant or any other person receiving Confidential

Information pursuant to this Stipulation and Order for any purpose whatsoever other than for the

representation of Defendant in this Civil Action, Atlas Disposal Industries, Inc. v. Browning-Ferris

Industries of North America, Inc., United States District Court for the Eastern District of California,

Case No.05CV989 MCE KJM.

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 6

5. Return of Confidential Information. 

At the conclusion of the trial of this action, or, if there is a settlement or other disposition,

upon such settlement or other disposition of this action, Defendant’s Counsel, Defendant and any

other person receiving Confidential Information shall return or destroy all Confidential Information

and all copies thereof, and all notes or other versions or summaries of the Confidential Information,

to Plaintiff’s Counsel within 30 days of the written demand for same by Plaintiff’s Counsel. 

Attorneys notes or other privileged documentation containing such information need not be given to

Plaintiff’s Counsel but shall be destroyed within this same time period. 

6. Non-Waiver of Rights. 

 The designation of any document as “confidential” is not an admission by Defendant or

Defendant’s Counsel that such document is confidential, but only that such information shall be

treated as confidential under the provisions of this Stipulation and Order. Defendant does not waive

the right to contest whether any confidential information is in fact “confidential” by treating it as

such, and failure by Defendant or Defendant’s Counsel to challenge the designation shall not in and

of itself be a waiver of the right to challenge the designation. 

7. Injunctive Relief. 

It is hereby understood and agreed that damages shall be an inadequate remedy in the event of

a breach by Defendant’s Counsel or Defendant of any of said covenants and that any such breach

may cause Plaintiff great and irreparable injury and damage. Accordingly, Defendant’s Counsel and

Defendant each agree that Plaintiff shall be entitled, without waiving any additional rights or

remedies otherwise available to it at law or in equity or by statute, to injunctive and other equitable

relief in the event of a breach or intended or threatened breach of any of said covenants. 

8. Miscellaneous. 

a. Governing Law. This Stipulation will be governed and construed in

accordance with the laws of the State of California. Any suit brought hereon shall be brought in the

state or federal courts in California. 

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 7

b. Severability. In case any one or more of the provisions contained herein shall,

for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality

or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Stipulation, and this Stipulation shall

be construed as if such provision(s) had never been contained herein, provided that such provision(s)

shall be curtailed, limited or eliminated only to the extent necessary to remove the invalidity,

illegality or unenforceability. 

c. Waiver. No waiver by Plaintiff’s Counsel or Plaintiff of any breach of any of

the provisions of this Stipulation shall be deemed a waiver of any proceeding or succeeding breach

of the same or any other provisions hereof. No such waiver shall be effective unless in writing and

then only to the extent expressly set forth in writing. 

d. Entire Agreement. This Stipulation constitutes the entire agreement of the

Parties with respect to Defendant’s Counsel’s and Defendant’s confidentiality and non-disclosure

obligations. 

e. Binding Effect. This Stipulation and Order shall be binding upon the Parties,

and each of their respective successors, assigns, and heirs; provided, however, that nothing herein

shall be construed as limiting the manner or extent to which Plaintiff may disclose such Confidential

Information in the course of their business. 

f. Modification and Scope. This Stipulation and Order may be amended by

agreement of counsel for the parties in the form of a written stipulation filed with the Court and

subject to the Court’s approval. This Stipulation and Order is without prejudice to the rights of any

party to apply to this Court for relief from any of its provisions or to seek or agree to different or

additional protection for any particular discovery material. This Stipulation and Order applies only

to material obtained in this action and not to material obtained through sources other than the

Plaintiff. Nothing will prevent disclosure of any designated Confidential Information if Defendant

already had the material properly in their possession or obtained it through public sources or

knowledge. 

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STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE 

ORDER AND ORDER 8

g. Approval by Court. If for any reason this Stipulation and Order is not

approved by the Court, this Stipulation shall still be effective as a binding contractual commitment

between the Parties and shall remain enforceable at law and in equity as provided herein. 

h. Non-admissibility. This Stipulation and Order and its contents shall not be

admissible for any purpose other than for the limited purpose of enforcing this Stipulation and Order

in the event of a breach of threatened breach of its terms or provisions, and shall not be admissible

to prove any factual or legal contention of either party with respect to the allegations of the complaint

or the answer.

DATED: November ___, 2006. LAW OFFICES OF THOMAS M. BRUEN 

A Professional Corporation 

By:___________________________ 

Thomas M. Bruen 

Attorneys for Defendant 

BFI WASTE SYSTEMS OF NORTH 

AMERICA, INC. 

DATED: November ___, 2006 HANSON BRIDGETT MARCUS VLAHOS & 

RUDY, LLP 

By:__________________________________

James T. Cahalan, Esq. 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ATLAS DISPOSAL INDUSTRIES, LLC 

ORDER 

Good cause appearing therefor,

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: November 30, 2006

___________________________________

MORRISON C. ENGLAND, JR

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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