Riker, Sean v. Riker, Tayler

Filing 56

ORDER denying 55 Motion to Seal Case. Signed by District Judge Barbara B. Crabb on 4/23/2014. (jef),(ps)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SEAN ANTHONY RIKER,
ORDER
Plaintiff,
11-cv-602-bbc
v.
TAYLER ANNE RIKER,
Defendant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SEAN ANTHONY RIKER,
ORDER
Plaintiff,
12-cv-641-bbc
v.
TAYLER ANNE RIKER,
Defendant.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Plaintiff Sean Riker has filed a motion to seal closed cases 11-cv-602-bbc, dkt. #21, and
12-cv-641-bbc, dkt. #55.

Plaintiff alleges that he has learned of a website that directs

individuals to look up these court cases and use them as a “reference and excuse” to do “street
justice” on defendant Tayler Riker.
The general rule is that materials should not be sealed “unless a statute or privilege
justifies nondisclosure.” United States v. Foster, 564 F.3d 852, 853 (7th Cir. 2009). Plaintiff
does not explain the basis for his belief that defendant is under any threat or indicate that
defendant has encountered any actual threats to her safety. Instead, he speculates about what

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could happen to defendant if some undisclosed person were angry enough about the cases to
seek out defendant and cause her harm. Furthermore, defendant’s address has not been
revealed on the public docket in either of these cases, so it appears highly unlikely that
someone could find defendant based on the filings in these cases. Such unsubstantiated
speculation is insufficient reason for sealing a case.
Further complicating things is that plaintiff failed to ask for the record to be sealed until
now, after the cases have been closed and after the case filings have been accessible through
electronic legal databases for some time. Even if these cases were to be sealed, I am unaware
of any instances in which court orders or opinions have been removed from such databases
(other than opinions that have been vacated by a court), so it is unclear what sealing the cases
now would accomplish.
Plaintiff’s motion provides insufficient grounds to seal the closed cases, and it will be
denied. I encourage defendant to seek the assistance of local law enforcement if she feels
threatened in any way.

ORDER
IT IS ORDERED that plaintiff Sean Riker’s motion to seal the record in cases 11-cv602-bbc, dkt. #21, and 12-cv-641-bbc, dkt. #55, is DENIED.
Entered this 23d day of April, 2014.
BY THE COURT:
/s/
BARBARA B. CRABB
District Judge

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