Opinion ID: 2769479
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Sealed Record Volume

Text: We also have an issue involving the sealing of Volume V of the defendants’ appendix. The clerk’s office directed the parties to file written responses stating whether Volume V should remain under seal and, if so, for how long. We have held: A party seeking to file court records under seal must overcome a presumption, long supported by courts, that the public has a common-law right of access to judicial records. To do so, the parties must articulate a real and substantial interest that justifies depriving the public of access to the records that inform our decision-making process. Eugene S. v. Horizon Blue Cross & Blue Shield of New Jersey, 663 F.3d 1124, 1135-36 (10th Cir. 2011) (citations and internal quotation marks omitted). The defendants have requested that Volume V remain under seal because it contains redacted information obtained through discovery of other students who amended their law school applications to disclose criminal or disciplinary records. The defendants claim these students have a strong interest in preventing the disclosure of their personally identifiable information. See generally Family Educational Rights and - 12 - Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g(b)(1). We agree and conclude that the defendants have shown a substantial interest justifying the continued sealing of Volume V. Accordingly, Volume V shall remain under seal.