Amy Roth et al v. CHA Hollywood Medical Center, L.P. et al
Filing
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ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFFS APPLICATION TO FILE EXHIBITS UNDER SEAL IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS MOTION FOR CLASS CERTIFICATION 56 by Judge Otis D. Wright, II. (lc). Modified on 9/26/2013 (lc).
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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AMY ROTH, SHANA EKIN, as
individuals and on behalf of themselves
and all others similarly situated,
v.
Plaintiffs,
CHA HOLLYWOOD MEDICAL
CENTER, L.P., d/b/a CHA Hollywood
Presbyterian Medical Center and
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center,
and CHS HEALTHCARE
MANAGEMENT, L.L.C.,
Case No. 2:12-cv-07559-ODW(SHx)
ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S
APPLICATION TO FILE EXHIBITS
UNDER SEAL IN SUPPORT OF
PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR CLASS
CERTIFICATION [56]
Defendants.
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On September 25, 2013, Plaintiff Shana Ekin filed an Application to File
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Exhibits Under Seal in Support of Plaintiff’s Motion for Class Certification. (ECF
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No. 56.) Ekin endeavors to seal three exhibits, which consist of Defendant CHA
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Hollywood Medical Center’s meal- and rest-break policy; assignment sheets, break
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schedules, and documentation forms from various nursing departments; and
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deposition excerpts from Hollywood Medical Center’s human-resources director
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discussing these documents. (Appl. 2.) Hollywood Medical Center produced these
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documents during discovery and denominated them “Confidential” under the terms of
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the parties’ stipulated protective order. The parties had entered into this protective
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order on December 10, 2012, while the case was still before the Los Angeles County
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Superior Court. (Appl. Ex. A.) Judge Kleinfeld of the Superior Court had previously
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granted Defendants’ motion to file under seal.
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The United States Supreme Court has recognized that it is “clear that the courts
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of this country recognize a general right to inspect and copy public records and
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documents, including judicial records and documents.” Nixon v. Warner Commc’ns,
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Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 597 (1978) (footnote omitted). Similarly, the Ninth Circuit stated
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that there is a “strong presumption in favor of access to court records.” Foltz v. State
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Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003). In order to override
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this weighty presumption, a party must demonstrate “sufficiently compelling reasons”
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for sealing the documents. Id. Any request “must articulate compelling reasons
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supported by specific factual findings” why each individual exhibit merits filing under
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seal. Kamakana v. City & Cnty of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006). A
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court will then balance the public’s interest in accessing these documents with the
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confidentiality and potential for misuse of the information. Hagestad v. Tragesser, 49
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F.3d 1430, 1434 (9th Cir. 1995).
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The Court has read each page of the documents Ekin seeks to file under seal
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and has found no private information about individuals or anything that could be
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construed as proprietary or a trade secret. The Court is also aware that it was really
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Hollywood Medical Center that designated these documents as confidential, not Ekin.
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The hospital cannot seriously contend that its rest- and meal-break policy is
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confidential when the policy itself makes clear that it is based on state and federal law.
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Further, Hollywood Medical Center already redacted all patient identifying
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information from Exhibit 5. So now the only identifying information that remains in
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all three exhibits is the employees’ names. But names alone are not private enough to
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lock tight the Court’s files and cut off the public’s access to these documents. The
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courts of this nation remain open for any person—litigant or otherwise—to enter its
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halls, inspect its records, and see justice being done. The Court finds that neither
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party in this case has carried its burden of demonstrating sufficiently compelling
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reasons for denying the public that access.
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The Court accordingly DENIES Plaintiff’s Application to File Exhibits Under
Seal. (ECF No. 56.)
IT IS SO ORDERED.
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September 26, 2012
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____________________________________
OTIS D. WRIGHT, II
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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