Case Name: James CARROLL, Appellant, v. SOUTHWESTERN BELL CORPORATION; Southwestern Bell Telephone Company; Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan, Medical Plan; Group Life Insurance Plan; The Benefit Plan Committee of the Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan; The Employee Benefit Committee of the Pension Plan, Appellees
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1993-01-11
Citations: 982 F.2d 1255
Docket Number: No. 92-3189
Parties: James CARROLL, Appellant, v. SOUTHWESTERN BELL CORPORATION; Southwestern Bell Telephone Company; Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan, Medical Plan; Group Life Insurance Plan; The Benefit Plan Committee of the Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan; The Employee Benefit Committee of the Pension Plan, Appellees.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 982
Pages: 1255–1255

Head Matter:
James CARROLL, Appellant, v. SOUTHWESTERN BELL CORPORATION; Southwestern Bell Telephone Company; Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan, Medical Plan; Group Life Insurance Plan; The Benefit Plan Committee of the Sickness and Accident Disability Benefits Plan; The Employee Benefit Committee of the Pension Plan, Appellees.
No. 92-3189.
United States Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit.
Jan. 11, 1993.

Opinion:
JOHN R. GIBSON,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
This case involves a dispute over attorneys' fees in an ERISA claim that was settled. All of the settlement papers in the ERISA claim were sealed by the district court.
I feel strongly that the business of the courts is public business. I would require the parties to air their dispute in public. This case does not involve trade secrets, just a desire to keep the terms of a settlement secret. This the parties may do, but when they ask the court's blessing, they ask too much. I have serious concerns about propriety of the district court order sealing the terms of the settlement. This court should not perpetuate this ruling.