Wilson v. PTT, LLC

Filing 330

ORDER denying Defendant High 5 Games's 272 Motion to Seal. The Clerk is directed to unseal Dkt. 273 and all its exhibits. Signed by District Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright.(MW)

1
2
3
4
5

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT TACOMA

6
7
8
9

RICK LARSEN, individually and on behalf

Case No. 3:18-cv-05275-TMC

of all others similarly situated,

ORDER DENYING DKT. 272 MOTION TO
SEAL

Plaintiff,

10
v.

11

PTT, LLC, doing business as High 5 Games,

12

LLC,

13

Defendant.

14
15

I.

16
17
18
19
20

ORDER

Before the Court is Defendant High 5 Games’s motion to seal. Dkt. 272. The documents
at issue are Exhibits 1–6 to the Declaration of Craig Stewart in support of High 5’s cross motion
for summary judgment, which Defendant has provisionally filed under seal attached to the
Declaration of Jessica Smith at Dkt. 273. 1 The exhibits consist of deposition transcripts of High
5 employees as well as the current and former named plaintiffs in this class action.

21

This District’s Local Civil Rules make clear that a motion to seal must include “[a]

22
23
24

1

Although the motion itself identifies only four exhibits, Dkt. 272 at 1, the declarations
themselves include six sealed documents. See Dkt. 271, 273.
ORDER DENYING DKT. 272 MOTION TO SEAL - 1

1

specific statement of the applicable legal standard and the reasons for keeping a document under

2

seal, including an explanation of (i) the legitimate private or public interests that warrant the

3

relief sought; (ii) the injury that will result if the relief sought is not granted; and (iii) why a less

4

restrictive alternative to the relief sought is not sufficient.” W.D. Wash. Local Civ. R. 5(g)(3)(B).

5

“There is a strong presumption of public access to the court’s files.” Local Civ. R. 5(g).

6

High 5’s motion does not overcome this presumption. High 5 offers only the conclusory

7

argument that “High 5 Games and High 5 Entertainment are both privately held entities, and

8

these . . . depositions discuss[] sensitive, nonpublic topics that would have a substantial and

9

injurious effect on both entities’ business if an unredacted deposition transcript were to be

10

publicly released.” Dkt. 272 at 2. High 5 does not explain what that injurious effect would be,

11

why it overcomes the public’s interest in access to court files, or why a less restrictive alternative

12

is insufficient.

13
14

High 5’s motion (Dkt. 272) is therefore DENIED, and the Clerk is directed to unseal
Dkt. 273 and all its exhibits.

15
16
17
18
19

Dated this 16th day of February, 2024.

A
Tiffany M. Cartwright
United States District Judge

20
21
22
23
24
ORDER DENYING DKT. 272 MOTION TO SEAL - 2