Rosario v. Starbucks Corporation

Filing 26

ORDER granting defendant's 17 Motion to Seal by Judge Richard A Jones.(RS)

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The Honorable Richard A. Jones

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE

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JONATHAN SANTIAGO ROSARIO,
individually and on behalf of all others
similarly situated,

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Plaintiff,

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v.
STARBUCKS CORPORATION,

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No. 2:16-cv-01951 RAJ
ORDER GRANTING MOTION
TO SEAL PORTIONS OF
EXHIBITS 1 AND 3 TO
DECLARATION OF TRACY
VRCHOTA IN SUPPORT OF
MOTION TO DISMISS

Defendant.

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This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Starbucks Corporation’s

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(“Starbucks”) motion to seal portions of Exhibits 1 and 3. Dkt. # 17.
There is a “strong presumption” in favor of public access to court records.

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Kamakana v. City & County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1178 (9th Cir. 2006); Local

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Rules W.D. Wash. LCR 5(g). A court cannot allow documents to remain under seal

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unless it articulates its reasons for doing so. Apple Inc. v. Psystar Corp., 658 F.3d 1150,

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1162 (9th Cir. 2011) (vacating order sealing, without explanation, documents submitted

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in support of injunction motion). In general, the party seeking to shield litigation

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documents from public view must show “compelling reasons” for doing so, and the

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court must balance the reasons the party articulates against the public’s interest in
ORDER

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understanding the judicial process, the general preference for access and disclosure, and

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other policies favoring disclosure. Kamakana, 447 F.3d at 1178-79.
Starbucks has made the proper showing to support the partial sealing of these

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exhibits. The redacted information falls within LCR 5.2(a), and Starbucks has

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minimized that amount of information to be shielded from public view. Moreover,

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Plaintiff did not file an opposition to the motion, therefore admitting to the motion’s

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merit. Local Rules W.D. Wash. LCR 7(b)(2). Accordingly, the Court GRANTS

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Starbuck’s motion. Dkt. # 17.

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DATED this 25th day of May, 2017.

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A

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The Honorable Richard A. Jones
United States District Judge

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ORDER