Singleton v. Intellisist, Inc

Filing 24

ORDER denying parties' 3 Stipulated Motion to Seal Complaint; directing Clerk to UNSEAL Dkt. # 6 , signed by Judge Robert S. Lasnik.(SWT)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE

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_______________________________________
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KURT SINGLETON,
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Plaintiff,
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v.
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INTELLISIST, INC., d/b/a Spoken
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Communications,
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Defendants.
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_______________________________________)

Case No. C17-1712RSL
ORDER DENYING MOTION
TO SEAL

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On November 13, 2017, the parties filed a “Stipulated Motion to File Complaint and

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Exhibits Under Seal.” Dkt. # 3. Pursuant to the procedure set forth in LCR 5(g), plaintiff filed

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the motion to seal only because the contracts between the parties designated certain information

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confidential. Plaintiff does not argue that the information is confidential or that a seal is

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appropriate.

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“There is a strong presumption of public access to the court’s files.” LCR 5(g). In order to

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override the common law right to inspect and copy public documents, “a party seeking to seal

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judicial records must show that compelling reasons supported by specific factual findings

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outweigh the general history of access and the public policies favoring disclosure.” Pintos v.

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Pac. Creditors Ass’n, 605 F.3d 665, 678 (9th Cir. 2010) (internal quotation marks and alterations

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omitted). The existence of a contractual confidentiality provision does not, in and of itself,

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justify a seal, and defendant has made no effort to support its contention that sections of the
complaint and exhibits should be redacted and kept confidential.
ORDER DENYING MOTION TO SEAL

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For all of the foregoing reasons, the “stipulated” motion to file the complaint and exhibits
under seal is DENIED. The Clerk of Court is directed to unseal Dkt. # 6.

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Dated this 6th day of December, 2017.

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A

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Robert S. Lasnik
United States District Judge

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ORDER DENYING MOTION TO SEAL

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