The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company v. Mollerup Glass Company; Employers Mutual Casualty Company; and Does 1-25, inclusive

Summary

The United States District Court for the District of Nevada grants the parties’ stipulated protective order subject to modifications concerning the filing of documents under seal. The order explains the Ninth Circuit’s compelling-reasons and good-cause standards and requires specific factual support for sealing judicial records.

Holdings

1. The stipulated protective order was granted, but only subject to modifications requiring compliance with the court's electronic filing procedures, Local Rule IA 10-5, and the standards governing sealed judicial records.
2. A party seeking to seal judicial records bears the burden of establishing compelling reasons supported by a factual basis and must balance the public's access interests against the interests supporting secrecy.
3. The entry of a stipulated protective order or a party's designation of a document as confidential does not, standing alone, establish sufficient grounds to seal a document filed with the court.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the parties' stipulated protective order should be entered.
2. What standard governs a future motion to seal documents filed with the court.
3. Whether entry of a stipulated protective order or a confidentiality designation alone establishes grounds for sealing judicial records.

Disposition

other