Isabel Valdez v. City of Fontana

Summary

This document is a stipulated protective order in a federal civil-rights action brought by Isabel Valdez and minor plaintiffs against the City of Fontana and Officer Alex Yanez. It governs the designation, disclosure, use, challenge, filing, and final disposition of confidential discovery materials, including police-investigation records, personnel information, and training materials.

Holdings

1. The court entered the stipulated protective order for good cause shown, subject to the order's provisions governing confidential discovery material.
2. Material designated as confidential under the order may be used only for prosecuting, defending, or attempting to settle the action and may be disclosed only to persons and under the conditions specified in the order.
3. Designating parties must limit confidentiality designations to material that qualifies for protection, and the designating party bears the burden of persuasion in a challenge to a designation.
4. The protective order does not itself authorize filing protected material under seal; a party seeking sealing must comply with Local Rule 79-5 and obtain a court order authorizing sealing of the specific material.

Questions Presented

1. Whether good cause existed to enter the parties' stipulated protective order under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c).
2. What procedures and limitations would govern designation, challenge, disclosure, use, filing, retention, and final disposition of confidential discovery material.

Disposition

other