Bancroft v. Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Filing 61

ORDER granting Plaintiff's 53 Motion to Seal. Clerk is directed to maintain the seal on docket number 55 . Signed by Judge James L. Robart. (PM)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE

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COLIN BANCROFT,
Plaintiff,

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v.

CASE NO. C17-1312JLR
ORDER GRANTING MOTION
TO SEAL

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MINNESOTA LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY,

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Defendant.

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Before the court is Plaintiff Colin Bancroft’s motion to file under seal certain
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documents upon which he relied in support of his motion to compel further discovery
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from Defendant Minnesota Life Insurance Company (“Minnesota Life”). (MTS (Dkt. #
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53); see also 6/15/18 Crowe Ltr. (Dkt. # 56) (describing discovery dispute); 6/15/18
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Crowe Decl. (Dkt. ## 54 (redacted), 55 (sealed)).) In the motion to seal, Mr. Bancroft
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states that although he does not agree that the documents at issue should be sealed,
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pursuant to the stipulated protective order, he is required to file a motion to seal the
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ORDER - 1

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documents under Local Rule LCR 5(g)(3). (MTS at 2 (citing Local Rules W.D. Wash.

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LCR 5(g)(3)(B)); see also Stip. Protective Order (Dkt. # 28) ¶ 4.3.)

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Minnesota Life responds that the court should maintain the seal on the documents

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at issue. (Resp. (Dkt. # 59).) Minnesota Life asserts that those documents should remain

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under seal because they contain medical and financial information of non-parties. (Id. at

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3.) Where documents are submitted in support of a non-dispositive motion, the party

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seeking to protect the documents under seal need only show “good cause” for doing so.

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See Kamakana v. City and Cty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1177-79 (9th Cir. 2006).

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The court has reviewed Minnesota Life’s response to Mr. Bancroft’s motion (see Resp.),

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as well as the sealed documents at issue (see Dkt. # 55). The court concludes that

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Minnesota Life has met the “good cause” standard for maintaining the documents under

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seal.

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Accordingly, the court GRANTS the motion (Dkt. # 53) and DIRECTS the clerk
to maintain the seal on docket number 55.
Dated this 12th day of July, 2018.

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A

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JAMES L. ROBART
United States District Judge

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ORDER - 2