Mark Watkins, et al. v. AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California grants Plaintiffs’ ex parte motion to file under seal their reply supporting a motion to compel further discovery responses. Applying the good-cause standard to a non-dispositive discovery dispute and relying on the parties’ protective order, the Court orders the unredacted reply filed under seal while allowing the redacted version to remain publicly filed.

Holdings

1. Because the reply concerned a non-dispositive discovery dispute, was filed pursuant to a valid protective order, and relied on materials designated confidential, the public-access presumption was rebutted and good cause supported sealing the unredacted reply.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Plaintiffs showed sufficient good cause under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c) to seal their unredacted reply and the confidential materials referenced in it.

Disposition

other