Koninklijke Philips N.V. et al v. Elec-Tech International Co., Ltd. et al

Filing 173

ORDER re 143 Administrative Motion to File Under Seal and 172 Letter. Signed by Judge Beth Labson Freeman on 10/1/2015. (blflc2S, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 10/1/2015)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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SAN JOSE DIVISION

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KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V., et al.,

Case No. 14-cv-02737-BLF

Plaintiffs,
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v.
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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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ELEC-TECH INTERNATIONAL CO.,
LTD., et al.,

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS'
ADMINISTRATIVE MOTION TO FILE
UNDER SEAL
[ECF 143, 172]

Defendants.

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On September 22, 2015, the Court denied without prejudice Defendants’ request to file the

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entirety of Exhibit A to their Motion for Civil Contempt or Sanctions (“Exhibit A”) under seal.

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ECF 169. The Court found that the request was not sufficiently narrow to meet the requirements

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of Civil Local Rule 79-5. Id. Defendants have now narrowed their request and have filed a

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declaration stating a basis for sealing specific portions of Exhibit A. ECF 172.

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Courts recognize a “general right to inspect and copy public records and documents,

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including judicial records and documents.” Kamakana v. City & Cnty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d

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1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006). A “good cause” standard governs motions to seal non-dispositive

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motions. Id. at 1179. The documents at issue here concern a motion to seal, which is not

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dispositive. See Pinterest, Inc. v. Pintrips, Inc., No. 13-CV-04608-RS, 2014 WL 6603083, at *3

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(N.D. Cal. Nov. 20, 2014). Therefore, Defendants must meet the “good cause” standard.

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Defendants state that the requested redactions concern confidential information about

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Defendants’ business practices and recruiting efforts. Wang Decl. The Court has previously

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approved requests to seal similar documents in this case. See, e.g., ECF 169.

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Having examined the requested redactions, the Court finds that the request satisfies the

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“good cause” standard, is narrowly tailored to address the parties’ need for confidentiality, and

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comports with the requirements of Civil Local Rule 79-5.The Court therefore GRANTS

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Defendants’ request to seal the following portions of Exhibit A (page: line): 2:8-14; 2:24-27; 6:5-

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7; 6:19-21; 6:25-7:2; 13:21-23; 14:16-21; 14:22-24; 22:10; 22:11-13; 23:20-22; 24:28; 25:8-9;

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25:11; 25:16-17; and 26:7-8.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: October 1, 2015
______________________________________
BETH LABSON FREEMAN
United States District Judge

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United States District Court
Northern District of California

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