IN RE: MAINE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Filing 6

ORDER Regarding the Release of Record. By JUDGE JOHN A. WOODCOCK, JR. (MFS)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF MAINE
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
AND HUMAN SERVICES,
Movant,
v.
FORREST T. GOODWIN, JR.,
Respondent.

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1:12-mc-124-JAW

ORDER REGARDING THE RELEASE OF RECORD
On June 20, 2012, the Court held a telephone conference of counsel regarding
the Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ (MDHHS) Motion to Quash
a Subpoena that had been issued for the production of certain MDHHS records and
ordered the MDHHS counsel to review the record to determine whether it contained
any reference to Lynn Goodwin’s role as a witness in the pending federal
prosecution. Order (ECF No 5). On June 21, 2012, the Court received a letter from
Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Janice S. Stuver, enclosing a portion of the
record that contains such a reference, and it performed an in camera review of the
relevant portion of the MDHHS record in accordance with Pennsylvania v. Ritchie,
480 U.S. 39, 60 (1987).

Having reviewed the record, the Court concludes that

“access to those records may be necessary for the determination of [an] issue before
the court,” 22 M.R.S. § 4008(3)(B) and ORDERS that the Maine Department of
Health and Human to immediately release the document that is attached to AAG
Stuver’s letter, to Attorney Steven Smith, it being the Court’s understanding that in

anticipation of this ruling the AAG has transmitted the documents electronically to
the Office of the Attorney General in Bangor, Maine for release to Mr. Smith, if
ordered.
SO ORDERED.
/s/ John A. Woodcock, Jr.
JOHN A. WOODCOCK, JR.
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Dated this 21st day of June, 2012

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