Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH v. NVIDIA Corporation
Filing
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ORDER re 192 Valeo's Administrative Motion to Consider Whether Another Party's Material Should Be Sealed. Signed by Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi on 1/29/2025. (vkdlc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/29/2025)
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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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VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN
GMBH,
Case No. 23-cv-05721-EKL (VKD)
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Plaintiff,
ORDER SEALING DOCUMENTS
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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v.
Re: Dkt. No. 192
NVIDIA CORPORATION,
Defendant.
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On January 11, 2025, plaintiff Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GMBH (“Valeo”) filed an
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administrative motion to consider whether defendant NVIDIA Corporation’s (“NVIDIA”)
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material should be sealed. Dkt. No. 192. On January 17, 2025, NVIDIA filed a declaration in
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support of sealing pursuant to Local Rule 79-5(f)(3). Dkt. No. 197.
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There is a strong presumption in favor of access by the public to judicial records and
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documents accompanying dispositive motions that can be overcome only by a showing of
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“compelling reasons supported by specific factual findings.” Kamakana v. City & Cnty. of
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Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178-79 (9th Cir. 2006) (cleaned up). However, the presumption does
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not apply equally to a motion addressing matters that are only “tangentially related to the merits of
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a case.” Ctr. for Auto Safety v. Chrysler Group, LLC, 809 F.3d 1092, 1101 (9th Cir. 2016). A
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party seeking to seal documents or information in connection with such a motion must meet the
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lower “good cause” standard of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c). Id. at 1098-99; Kamakana, 447 F.3d at
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1179-80. The discovery matters at issue here do not address the merits of either party’s claims or
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defenses, so the Court applies the “good cause” standard of Rule 26(c).
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NVIDIA asserts that good cause exists because the information at issue contains sensitive
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business information that, if revealed, could cause competitive harm to NVIDIA. Dkt. No. 197 at
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2. NVIDIA asserts that in particular many of the portions for which it seeks sealing reference “a
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confidential partnership that NVIDIA has not yet publicly announced.” Id. at 3, 5-7.
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The Court agrees that good cause exists to seal the information NVIDIA has designated
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within these documents. The redactions proposed to the public versions of these documents are
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minimal and narrowly tailored to address the concerns it identifies. See Civil L.R. 79-5(c)(3). The
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following materials shall be sealed:
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Document
Portions to be Filed Under Seal
Joint Status Report re 30(b)(6) Dispute
(Dkt. No. 191)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit A (Dkt. No. 197-1) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Exhibit 1 (Dkt. No. 191-1)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit B (Dkt. No. 197-2) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Exhibit 2 (Dkt. No. 191-2)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit C (Dkt. No. 197-3) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Exhibit 3 (Dkt. No. 191-3)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit D (Dkt. No. 197-4) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Exhibit 5 (Dkt. No. 191-5)
Entire Document
Exhibit 6 (Dkt. No. 191-6)
Entire Document
Exhibit 8 (Dkt. No. 191-8)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit E (Dkt. No. 197-5) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
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Exhibit 9 (Dkt. No. 191-9)
Entire Document
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Exhibit 10 (Dkt. No. 191-10)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit F (Dkt. No. 197-6) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Exhibit 11 (Dkt. No. 191-11)
Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit G (Dkt. No. 197-7) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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Exhibit 13 (Dkt. No. 191-13)
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Portions of the document as redacted by NVIDIA in
Exhibit H (Dkt. No. 197-8) to the Declaration of
Michael LaFond (Dkt. No. 197)
Publicly redacted versions of the above are already available on the docket. NVIDIA has
also asserted that it does not seek to seal Exhibits 4, 7, and 12 to the joint report – the sealed
versions of which are on the docket at 192-7, 192-10, and 192-15. Dkt. No. 197 at 7. In view of
NVIDIA’s statements, Valeo is ordered to file publicly on the docket the unredacted versions of
these exhibits.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: January 29, 2025
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United States District Court
Northern District of California
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Virginia K. DeMarchi
United States Magistrate Judge
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