Erik Elzy v. Torrance Police Department et al

Filing 17

PROTECTIVE ORDER RE CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS by Magistrate Judge Rozella A. Oliver. The Court Orders that the terms of the Protective Order Regarding Non-Disclosure of Confidential Information shall govern the handling of such documents produced or disclosed by the parties in this case. 14 (SEE ORDER FOR FURTHER DETAILS) (gr)

2/9/2016

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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ERIK ELZY,

CASE NO. CV15-9559 GW (RAOx)

Plaintiff,
vs.

Hon. George H. Wu
Courtroom 10 – Spring St.

TORRANCE POLICE
DEPARTMENT, OFFICER #18848,
OFFICER 18061 and OFFICER
#16459
Defendants.

Hon. Rozella A. Oliver, Magistrate Judge
Courtroom F – Spring St.

PROTECTIVE ORDER RE
CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS
[Motion for Protective Order; and
Declaration of Della Thompson-Bell
filed concurrently herewith]

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Date:
February 24, 2016
Time:
10:00 a.m.
Courtroom: F

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Complaint Filed: 12/11/15
Trial Date:
Not Set

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Defendants, A. FONTANEZ, G. SANDOVAL, P. YAPELLI and
CITY OF TORRANCE’s Motion for Protective Order Regarding
Confidential Documents came regularly for hearing on February 24, 2016, at
10:00 a.m., before the Honorable Rozella A. Oliver, Magistrate Judge.

[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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After considering the moving, opposing and reply papers and having

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have heard oral argument, the Court grants Defendants’ Motion for

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Protective Order Regarding Confidential Documents.

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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:
1.

The parties, in the production or disclosure of documents,

records, information, or tangible things in this case (hereafter “documents”)
may designate certain documents as “Confidential” (collectively herein as
“Confidential Documents”). The types of documents which may be
designated as Confidential Documents hereunder include: (1) peace officer
personnel files and all records which are typically contained within or
associated with such peace officer personnel files according to the regular
practices of the law enforcement agency which is the custodian of such
records – including but not limited to internal affairs investigations and
related interviews and reports, peace officer personal financial and asset
information, peace officer medical records in the custody of the peace
officer’s law enforcement agency employer, records regarding peace
officer discipline, associated law enforcement agency employment/internal
affairs investigations and related interviews and reports, interviews and
reports related to personnel complaints by peace officers and/or citizen
complaints against peace officers, and peace officer training records; and
(2) comparable records of the parties that may otherwise be privileged from
disclosure but which the parties may agree to produce pursuant to the terms
of this [Proposed] Protective Order, including a party’s medical records,
financial records, or other privileged or confidential records, documents, or
information. However, nothing in this [Proposed] Protective Order shall be
construed as to require or mandate that any party disclose or produce

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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privileged information or records or other Confidential Documents in this

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action.

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This [Proposed] Protective Order also requires each party to

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this action to return the Confidential Documents produced to that party at the

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conclusion of this lawsuit, subject to certain exceptions specified infra: this

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requirement is intended to ensure that the use of Confidential Documents is

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limited to the particular case in which the facts or documents are relevant or

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at issue. This [Proposed] Protective Order applicable only to the above

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entitled matter and may not be used in the proceedings of any other matter

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for the purpose of establishing good cause for a similar stipulation or

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protective order, nor as a basis for any contention that certain documents or

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records should or should not be produced in another matter.

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3.

The mechanism by which parties may designate documents as

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Confidential Documents is either: (a) by marking the individual documents

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as being “Confidential,” such as on the footer of a specific/individual

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document, or (b) by enclosing, with the documents such party intends to be

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treated as Confidential Documents hereunder, written disclosures or

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discovery responses or correspondence specifically and individually

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identifying those enclosed documents as “Confidential” such party intends to

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be treated as Confidential Documents hereunder. The preferred method of

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designating documents as Confidential Documents is to employ all of the

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aforementioned means of designation, but such is not required hereunder.

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4.

Documents marked as “Confidential” shall be so marked in a

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manner that does not obstruct the substance of that document’s text or

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content. No party shall be permitted to alter or copy a document or record

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designated as “Confidential” so as to make it appear that such copy of such

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document or record was not a Confidential Document subject to the terms

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of this [Proposed] Protective Order; such alteration or copying shall subject
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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the party or counsel who engages in such action regarding such documents

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to sanctions, at the discretion of the Court. Nothing in this paragraph shall

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be construed so as to prohibit transparent “highlighting” of any

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Confidential Document for emphasis, provided that prior to filing any such

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“highlighted” document with the Court and/or prior to publishing such

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“highlighted” document to the finder of fact or jury in this matter, the party

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adding such “highlighting” emphasis informs the Court or the fact finder,

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as applicable, that the “highlighting” party has added such “highlighting”

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emphasis to the document at issue.

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5.

Hereafter, a party who has designated documents as

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Confidential Documents shall be referred to as the “producing-disclosing

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party [or counsel]” and the party to whom such documents are produced or

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disclosed shall be referred to as the “recipient party [or counsel].”

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Confidential Documents shall be used only in preparation for

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the above entitled action, up to and including the completion of judicial

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proceedings, as well as any appellate phase of this action, and not for any

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other purpose, including any other litigation or dispute, and may not be

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disclosed or disseminated to any other persons, including to any other

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counsel, other than as set forth in this [Proposed] Protective Order.

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7.

In the event that a recipient party or counsel contends that any

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Confidential Documents were already in the possession of that party, or that

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party’s counsel, prior to the date of this Protective Order, or prior to such

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documents’ production in this matter by the producing-disclosing party, the

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recipient party or counsel shall have the burden of proving that any such

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documents were in fact already in the possession of the recipient party or

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that party’s counsel prior to the date of this Protective Order, or prior to

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such documents’ production in this matter.

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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The parties shall attempt to resolve any issue regarding

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such disputed documents or records pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

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Procedure 37(a)(1) before submitting any such dispute-issue to the

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Court.

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, and despite any dispute as

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to whether any documents produced should be subject to the terms of

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the [Proposed] Protective Order as a result of prior possession, the

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parties will continue to treat the document(s) at issue as confidential

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and subject to this Protective Order until the Court rules upon the

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dispute or until the parties reach agreement on the issue, whichever

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comes first.

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10.

If, upon review of such a dispute, the Court determines that the

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disputed Confidential Documents were already in the possession of the

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recipient party or counsel prior to the date of this [Proposed] Protective

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Order, or prior to such documents’ production in this matter, those specific

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documents shall not be subject to the provisions on destruction of copies (¶

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24) nor to the provisions on return of documents at the conclusion of

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litigation (¶ 25), nor shall the recipient party or counsel be prohibited from

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using those specific documents in other litigation or at trial of this action:

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otherwise, the remaining provisions of this [Proposed] Protective Order shall

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continue to apply to such documents as Confidential Documents hereunder.

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The recipient parties to the above entitled action, and/or their

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counsel, and/or their agents or the agents or employees of their counsel,

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shall secure and maintain the confidentiality of any and all Confidential

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Documents in their possession, and shall ensure that such Confidential

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Documents are used only for the purposes set forth herein below, and for

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no other purpose, and subject to the terms and provisions of this [Proposed]

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Protective Order.
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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Nothing in this [Proposed] Protective Order shall be construed

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so as to prevent the admission of Confidential Documents into evidence at

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the trial of this matter, or in appellate proceedings on this matter, solely on

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the basis of the documents’ designation as Confidential Documents.

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Nothing in this [Proposed] Protective Order shall affect any

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right that any party would otherwise have to object to disclosing or

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producing any information or documents on any ground not specifically

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addressed in this Protective Order, including but not limited to objections

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pursuant to the California Government Code, California Evidence Code,

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California Penal Code, the Official Records Privilege, the federal Official

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Information Privilege, the federal Executive Deliberative Process Privilege,

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the law enforcement-investigative privilege, the attorney-client privilege,

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the physician-patient privilege, the therapist-patient privilege, the attorney

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work product protection, the taxpayer privilege, or the right to Privacy

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under the United States Constitution, the California Constitution or any

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other applicable state or federal authority (as underscored and/or

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augmented by the statutory peace officer personnel records privileges

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pursuant to California Penal Code sections 832.5 through 832.8, as well as

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California Evidence Code sections 1040 through 1048, and the associated

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case law), or any other privilege against disclosure or production available

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under any provision of federal or California law. Nothing in this [Proposed]

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Protective Order shall be construed as requiring the production or

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disclosure of documents or information that may be or have been

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designated as Confidential Documents. Nothing in this [Proposed]

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Protective Order shall affect any right any party would otherwise have to

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obtain, acquire, or discover documents or records from any party to the

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extent permitted under federal or California law, as applicable.

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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14.

Confidential Documents produced in this action shall remain

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in the sole custody of recipient counsel to whom such documents are

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produced, who shall be prohibited from releasing or disseminating, to any

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other persons – including but not limited to legal counsel – any or all such

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Confidential Documents, except as specifically delineated in this

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[Proposed] Protective Order.

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15.

All those permitted by a recipient counsel or party to review

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any Confidential Documents must be informed of the terms of this

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[Proposed] Protective Order and must agree to abide by such [Proposed]

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Protective Order before the recipient party or counsel may produce or

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disclose such documents to such person(s).

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16.

Confidential Documents may be disseminated, released,

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copied, shared, or otherwise reproduced by a recipient party or counsel

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only to the following persons:

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(a) counsel for any party to this action who is also a party to this
Stipulation;
(b) paralegal, stenographic, clerical and/or secretarial personnel
regularly employed by counsel referred to in paragraph (a);
(c) court personnel, including stenographic reporters engaged in such

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proceedings as are necessary incident to preparation for the trial

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and pretrial proceedings in the above entitled action;

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(d) any outside expert or consultant retained in connection with this

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action, and not otherwise employed by either of the parties –

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provided that such expert or consultant understands and agrees to

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abide by the terms of this [Proposed] Protective Order;

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(e) any “in-house” or outside experts designated by the defendant(s)
to testify at trial in this matter; and/or

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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(f) any party or witnesses to this action, provided that such party or

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witness understands and agrees to abide by the terms of this

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[Proposed] Protective Order.

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17.

Confidential Documents may be submitted in all law and

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motion proceedings before the Court if done so under seal pursuant to

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Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 5.2 and 26 and/or United States District

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Court, Central District of California Local Rules 79-5.1 and 79-5.2 as

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applicable and pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph. If any party

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attaches any Confidential Documents to any pleading, motion, or other

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paper to be filed, lodged, or otherwise submitted to the Court, that

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Confidential Document(s) shall be filed/lodged under seal pursuant to

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Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 5.2 and 26 and/or United States District

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Court, Central District of California Local Rules 79-5.1 and 79-5.2 to the

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extent applicable. However, this paragraph shall not be construed so as to

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prevent a producing-disclosing party or counsel from submitting, filing,

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lodging, or publishing any document it has previously designated as a

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Confidential Document without compliance with this paragraph’s

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requirement to do so under seal (i.e., a producing-disclosing party or

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counsel may submit or publish its own Confidential Documents without

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being in violation of the terms of this [Proposed] Protective Order).

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Furthermore, a recipient party or counsel shall be exempted

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from the requirements of the foregoing paragraph (¶ 17) as to any

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specifically identified Confidential Document(s) where the counsel for the

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producing-disclosing party of such specifically identified Confidential

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Document(s) serves an express, written waiver as to such specifically

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identified Confidential Document(s) prior to the submission or publication

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of the Confidential Document(s) at issue, either upon request by a recipient

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party or upon the producing-disclosing party’s own initiative. A recipient
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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party or counsel shall also be exempted from the requirements of such

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paragraph as to any specifically identified Confidential Document(s) where

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such Confidential Document(s) is/are not documents, records, or

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information regarding (1) private, personal information contained in peace

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officer personnel files (such as social security numbers, driver’s license

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numbers or comparable personal government identification numbers,

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residential addresses, compensation or pension or personal property

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information, credit card numbers or credit information, dates of birth, tax

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records and information, information related to the identity of an officer’s

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family members or co-residents, and comparable personal information

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about the officer or his family); (2) any internal affairs or comparable

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investigation by any law enforcement agency into alleged officer

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misconduct; or (3) the medical records or records of psychiatric or

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psychological treatment of any peace officer or party to this action. The

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parties shall confer in good faith regarding any request for waiver from this

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sealing requirement. Prior to submitting in any law and motion

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proceedings before the Court any Confidential Document(s) exempted

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from the sealing requirement of this [Proposed] any associated Protective

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Order, a recipient party or counsel shall confer in good faith with the

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producing-disclosing party or counsel on the issue of whether the parties

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can agree on whether such exempted Confidential Document(s) should be

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filed under seal or whether, if the parties cannot agree, the producing-

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disclosing party or counsel should move to have such Confidential

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Document(s) placed under seal by the Court. Additionally, nothing in this

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paragraph shall be construed to bind the Court so as to limit or prevent the

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publication of any Confidential Documents to the jury or fact finder, at the

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time of trial of this matter, where the Court has deemed such Confidential

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Documents to be admissible into evidence.
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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Nothing in this [Proposed] Protective Order shall be construed

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as requiring a producing-disclosing party or counsel to waive the

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requirements hereunder of filing, lodging, or otherwise submitting

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confidential Documents to the Court only pursuant to the terms of this

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Protective Order and/or to applicable federal or local rules.

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If, in connection with any deposition taken in this action,

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counsel questions a witness regarding materials subject to this [Proposed]

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Protective Order, or use(s) Confidential Documents as deposition exhibits,

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at the request of opposing counsel or party, the portions of the transcripts of

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such deposition testimony wherein such materials are discussed, and the

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applicable attached exhibits, shall be designated as Confidential

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Documents and shall be subject to the provisions of this [Proposed]

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Protective Order. However, only deposition exhibits that are designated as

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Confidential Documents shall be subject to the end-of-litigation return

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requirement of this [Proposed] Protective Order, infra (¶¶ 24-25);

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deposition transcripts designated as Confidential Documents shall not be

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subject to the aforementioned end-of-litigation return requirement of this

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[Proposed] Protective Order.

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This [Proposed] Protective Order is not intended, and shall not

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be construed, to prevent current officials or current employees of the City,

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or Police Department, or Defendant(s), or other authorized government

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officials, from having access to any document(s) to which such officials or

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employees would have had access in the normal course of their job duties.

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Confidential Documents shall not be shown, produced, shared,

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copied to, published, or otherwise disseminated or produced to any person

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by any recipient party or counsel, or their agents or persons to whom such

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recipient party or counsel discloses or produces such Confidential

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Documents, other than as specified in this [Proposed] Protective Order.
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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Confidential Documents shall not be shown, produced, shared,

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copied to, published, or otherwise disseminated or produced by any

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recipient party or recipient party’s counsel, or their agents or employees, to

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any member of the press or news or entertainment media under any

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circumstances or at any time.

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Electronic copies of any Confidential Documents may be made

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by any recipient party or counsel but such copies, and their dissemination

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by any means or medium, shall also be subject to the terms of this

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[Proposed] Protective Order, and all such copies in the possession of any

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recipient party or counsel, or their agents, shall be destroyed or permanently

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deleted at the conclusion of the legal proceedings in the above entitled

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matter.

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At the conclusion-end of the legal proceedings in the above

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entitled matter, each person or entity – except court personnel – who has

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received any Confidential Documents, or any copy thereof, and who is not

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the producing-disclosing party thereof, shall return all such Confidential

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Documents to the producing-disclosing counsel within thirty (30) calendar

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days of the conclusion of such proceedings, or be subject to monetary or

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other sanctions at the Court’s discretion. No recipient party or counsel may

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retain any Confidential Documents, or copies thereof, or permit any person

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or entity to whom the recipient party or counsel provided such document(s)

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to retain any Confidential Documents, after legal proceedings in the above

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entitled matter have concluded.

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All counsel in the above entitled action specifically agree not

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to cause or knowingly permit any disclosure or production of any

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Confidential Documents, or the contents thereof, except as permitted by the

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terms of this [Proposed] Protective Order.

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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Any restriction or obligation of this [Proposed] Protective

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Order that applies to any recipient party likewise applies to any recipient

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counsel, and vice versa.

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28.

In the event that any party, person, or entity subject to the

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terms of this [Proposed] Protective Order violates the terms or provisions

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thereof, in a manner consistent with the requirements of Due Process and

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the applicable provisions governing motions for sanctions under federal

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law, including but not limited to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and

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the United States District Court, Central District of California Local Rules,

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to the extent applicable, at the Court’s discretion, the Court may impose

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sanctions against the party, person, or entity that the Court finds to have

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violated of the terms of this [Proposed] Protective Order. However, nothing

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in this paragraph shall be construed so as to subject counsel for any party in

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the above entitled action to sanctions for any violation(s) of this [Proposed]

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Protective Order that are committed by other persons or entities – including

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but not limited to any agent or employee of any recipient party or counsel or

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any consultants or experts retained by any recipient party or counsel –

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provided that, in the event of the filing of a motion for sanctions for

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violation of the terms of this Protective Order, or within thirty (30) days of

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the termination of this action (whichever is sooner), recipient counsel files a

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sworn declaration with this Court affirming that: (a) the alleged violator was

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informed of all of the applicable terms and provisions of this [Proposed]

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Protective Order prior to being provided with any Confidential Documents;

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(b) the alleged violator agreed to abide by the applicable terms and

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provisions of this [Proposed] Protective Order prior to being provided with

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any Confidential Documents; and (c) the recipient party and recipient

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counsel otherwise complied with the end-of-litigation return/destruction

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provisions of this [Proposed] Protective Order (e.g., ¶¶ 24-25), to the extent
[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

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applicable. Nothing in this [Proposed] Protective Order shall be construed

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as providing for sanctions or the enforcement of any Court orders beyond

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the powers conferred upon the Court under existing law.

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The provisions of this Protective Order shall be in effect until

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further Order of the Court or written Stipulation by the parties by and

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through their attorneys of record.

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IT SO ORDERED.

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Dated: February 9, 2016

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__________________________________

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UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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[Elzy - Proposed Order Protective Order.DOC]

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[PROPOSED] PROTECTIVE ORDER REGARDING CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS