Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation v. Jones et al
Filing
192
AMENDED ORDER. IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 185 , 188 Motion to Reconsider Order is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that 190 Motion to Keep Declaration of Patrick J. Richard Under Seal is GRANTED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all exhibits to Defendan ts' Motion for Summary Judgment 163 not specifically identified in this Order as remaining under seal must be filed on the public record. Signed by Magistrate Judge George Foley, Jr on 7/14/15. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - TR)
1
2
3
4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5
DISTRICT OF NEVADA
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION AS RECEIVER FOR
SECURITY SAVINGS BANK,
)
)
)
)
Plaintiff,
)
)
vs.
)
)
KELLY JONES, STEPHEN DERVENIS, and
)
THOMAS PROCOPIO,
)
)
Defendants. )
__________________________________________)
Case No. 2:13-cv-00168-GMN-GWF
AMENDED ORDER
This matter is before the Court on Defendants’ Response to Court Order 185 (#188), filed
15
on June 26, 2015. This matter is also before the Court on Third Party Defendant FDIC
16
Corporation’s Memorandum Regarding Court Order 185 (#189), filed on June 26, 2015. This
17
matter is also before the Court on Plaintiff’s Motion to Keep Declaration of Patrick J. Richard
18
Under Seal and File Redacted Version for Public Record (#190), filed on June 26, 2015.
19
There is a general public right to inspect judicial records and documents. See Nixon v.
20
Warner Commc’ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589, 597 & n.7 (1978); Kamakana v. City and County of
21
Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006). This right leads to a “strong presumption in favor
22
of access to court records.” Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir.
23
2003) (citing Hagestad v. Tragesser, 49 F.3d 1430, 1434 (9th Cir. 1985)). In order to seal a
24
dispositive pleading, or an exhibit to a dispositive pleading, the moving party must establish
25
“compelling reasons” for the documents to be sealed. Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1179. The parties to
26
the instant motions seek to seal or keep under seal exhibits attached to motions for summary
27
judgment. Therefore, the parties must meet the “compelling reasons” standard in order for the
28
requested exhibits to be filed under seal.
1
I.
2
Defendants’ Response to Court’s Order 185 (#188)
Defendants Jones and Dervenis provided a copy of the Court’s Order (#185) to the Federal
3
Reserve, who now objects to the Court’s Order. The Defendants have filed Response (#188) on
4
behalf of the Federal Reserve, who seek to have Exhibits 9, 13, 19, 20, 24, 29, and 48-53
5
(hereinafter “Federal Reserve Exhibits”) to the Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (#164)
6
filed under seal. The Court will treat Response (#188) as a Motion to Reconsider Order (#185).
7
The Federal Reserve claims that the exhibits are subject to the bank examination privilege, and may
8
not be disclosed without the Federal Reserve’s consent. Specifically, the Federal Reserve Exhibits
9
“contain the opinions and recommendations of bank examiners, and banks’ responses thereto.”
10
(#188-1), p. 3. The bank examination privilege has long been recognized by federal courts. See In
11
re Countrywide Financial Corp. Sec. Litig., 2009 WL 5125089 at *1 (C.D. Cal. 2009); In re:
12
Subpoena Served Upon Comptroller of the Currency, 967 F.2d 630, 633-34 (D.C. Cir. 1992); Bank
13
of America Natl’l Trust & Sav. Ass’n v. Douglas, 105 F.2d 100, 104-06 (D.C. Cir. 1939). While
14
factual material falls outside the privilege communications such as those contained in the Federal
15
Reserve Exhibits should be protected. See In re Bankers Trust Co., 61 F.3d 465, 471 (6th Cir.
16
1995) (finding that the privilege is designed to promote candor between banks and examiners in
17
order to promote the effective functioning of the agency). Defendants also labeled the Federal
18
Reserve Exhibits as “Confidential” to place them under the protection of the Court’s Protective
19
Order (#59). Defendants have sufficiently established compelling reasons for the Federal Reserve
20
Exhibits to be sealed.
21
Defendants further argue that Exhibits 12, 15, 16, 21, 26, 27, 30, and 31 (hereinafter
22
“Defendants’ Exhibits”) should also be sealed because they contain “financial-account numbers,”
23
which should remain confidential per Fed R. Civ. P. 5.2(a). Defendants have provided redacted
24
copies of these exhibits that they may be filed publicly with the financial account numbers
25
removed. Defendants have sufficiently established that compelling reasons exist to file the
26
Defendants’ Exhibits under seal.
27
...
28
...
2
1
II.
FDIC Corporation’s Memorandum Regarding Court Order 185 (#189)
2
Non-party FDIC, in its corporate capacity (“FDIC-C”) objects to the potential unsealing of
3
Exhibits 1-7, 34-44, 46, 47, 51-53, 61, and 72 (“FDIC-C Exhibits”) of the Defendant’s Motion for
4
Summary Judgment (#164). The Court will treat Memorandum (#189) as a Motion to Reconsider
5
Order (#185). FDIC-C argues that these materials are also protected by the bank examination
6
privilege, and deal with confidential financial information that was provided by non-parties. The
7
FDIC-C also notes that disclosure of this information without the FDIC’s prior written approval is
8
forbidden by 12 C.F.R. § 309.6. The FDIC-C exhibits are confidential communications between
9
banks and agencies, and deal with bank examinations. The FDIC-C Exhibits are protected by both
10
privilege and statute, and the FDIC-C has sufficiently established compelling reasons for the FDIC-
11
C Exhibits to be sealed.
12
III.
13
Motion to Keep Declaration Under Seal (#190)
Plaintiff represents that the information contained in the Declaration (#171) includes “loan
14
underwriting documents and a tax return that contain personal identifying data.” Motion to Keep
15
Declaration Under Seal (#190), p. 3. The exhibits to the declaration also include allegations of a
16
nonparty’s alleged criminal activities, personal information, and sensitive financial information.
17
Id., pgs. 4-5. Plaintiff has attached a redacted copy of the Declaration to the instant motion, with
18
all identifying information removed in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2 and Special Order 108.
19
The redacted copy has removed the personal identifiers of those non-parties to protect their privacy.
20
The Plaintiff previously filed a Motion to Seal the Declaration (#172), which was denied by
21
the Court. See Order (#185). The Court found that the Plaintiff did not identify the financial
22
information that needed to be protected. In the instant motion (#190), the Plaintiff has identified
23
the records in detail. The information described by the Plaintiff is sufficient to establish
24
compelling reasons to seal the Declaration. Accordingly,
25
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Federal Reserve’s Motion to Reconsider Order
26
(#185) (#188) is granted. The Federal Reserve Exhibits (Exhibits 9, 13, 19, 20, 24, 29, and 48-53
27
to the Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment) shall be filed under seal. The Defendants’
28
...
3
1
Exhibits 12, 15, 16, 21, 26, 27, 30, and 31 to Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment shall
2
remain under seal.
3
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the FDIC-C’s Motion to Reconsider Order (#185)
4
(#189) is granted. The FDIC-C Exhibits 1-7, 34-44, 46, 47, 51-53, 61, and 72 to the Defendants’
5
Motion for Summary Judgment shall remain under seal.
6
7
8
9
10
11
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff’s Motion to Keep Declaration of Patrick J.
Richard Under Seal (#190) is granted. The Declaration will remain under seal.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all exhibits to Defendants’ Motion for Summary
Judgment (#163) not specifically identified in this Order as remaining under seal must be filed on
the public record.
DATED this 14th day of July, 2015.
12
13
14
GEORGE FOLEY, JR.
United States Magistrate Judge
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
4
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?