STEPP v. REXNORD INDUSTRIES, INC.

Filing 136

ORDER denying 79 Motion to seal email communication. Plaintiff's motion does not meet this standard. Plaintiff provides no explanation, analysis, or legal justification of any kind to support his request. Signed by Magistrate Judge Mark J. Dinsmore on 10/2/2014 (dist made) (CBU)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA
INDIANAPOLIS DIVISION
DAMON P. STEPP,
Plaintiff,
vs.
REXNORD INDUSTRIES, INC.,
Defendant.
______________________________________
Jay Meisenhelder,
Intervenor.

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No. 1:13-cv-00683-TWP-MJD

ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR SEALING OF EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS
This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiff’s Motion for Sealing of Email
Communications between Attorney and Client. [Dkt. 79.] For the reasons stated below, the Court
DENIES the motion.
Plaintiff in this motion asks the Court to seal various emails between Plaintiff and his
former counsel. These documents were previously filed with the Court, [Dkt. 75], and thus
became part of the “underpinning” of this case on which judicial decisions may be based. Baxter
Int'l, Inc. v. Abbott Labs., 297 F.3d 544, 545. As such, they are presumptively subject to public
inspection “unless they meet the definition of trade secrets or other categories of bona fide longterm confidentiality.” Id. To establish such confidentiality, a motion must “analyze in detail,
document by document, the propriety of secrecy, providing reasons and legal citations” for the
same. Id. at 548.

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Plaintiff’s motion does not meet this standard. Plaintiff provides no explanation, analysis,
or legal justification of any kind to support his request, [see Dkt. 79 at 1-2], and the Court
therefore DENIES his motion.

Date: 10/02/2014

Distribution:
DAMON P. STEPP
8659 Rockville Road
Indianapolis, IN 46234
Jay Meisenhelder
EMPLOYMENT AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEGAL SERVICES
[e-mail]
Charles B. Baldwin
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART
[e-mail]
Christopher C. Murray
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART
[e-mail]
Michelle R. Maslowski
OGLETREE, DEAKINS, NASH, SMOAK & STEWART
[e-mail]

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