JOHN E. McDERMOTT, Magistrate Judge.
After conferring on these matters, Plaintiff Sugarfina, Inc. ("Sugarfina"), on the one hand, and Defendants Sweet Pete's, LLC ("Sweet Pete's"), Marcus Lemonis, ML Sweets, LLC, Peter Behringer, Allison Behringer, ML Buena Park, LLC, dba Farrell's ("Farrell's), and ML Food Group, LLC, on the other hand (collectively,"Defendants"), hereby propose to the Court this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order.
The Court entered the Stipulated Protective Order on January 19, 2018. (Dkt. No. 54.) Since entry of the Stipulated Protective Order, the parties have agreed to modify the provisions governing disclosure of information designated CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY, as set forth in section 7.3 below, to allow one (1) in-house counsel to review such information. Accordingly, for good cause recited herein and in Docket No. 54, the parties stipulate and agree as follows:
Discovery in this action is likely to involve production of confidential, proprietary or private information for which special protection from public disclosure and from use for any purpose other than prosecuting this litigation may be warranted. Accordingly, the parties hereby stipulate to and petition the Court to enter the following Stipulated First Amended Protective Order. The parties acknowledge that this Order does not confer blanket protections on all disclosures or responses to discovery and that the protection it affords from public disclosure and use extends only to the limited information or items that are entitled to confidential treatment under the applicable legal principles.
This action is likely to involve trade secrets, customer and pricing lists, supplier and vendor contacts, and other valuable research, development, commercial, financial, and/or proprietary information for which special protection from public disclosure and from use for any purpose other than prosecution ofthis action is warranted. Such confidential and proprietary materials and information consist of, among other things, confidential business or financial information, information regarding confidential business practices, or other confidential research, development, or commercial information (including information implicating privacy rights of third parties), information otherwise generally unavailable to the public, or which may be privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure under state or federal statutes, court rules, case decisions, or common law. Accordingly, to expedite the flow of information, to facilitate the prompt resolution of disputes over confidentiality of discovery materials, to adequately protect information the parties are entitled to keep confidential, to ensure that the parties are permitted reasonable necessary uses of such material in preparation for and in the conduct oftrial, to address their handling at the end of the litigation, and serve the ends ofjustice, a protective order for such information is justified in this matter. It is the intent of the parties that information will not be designated as confidential for tactical reasons and that nothing be so designated without a good faith belief that it has been maintained in a confidential, non-public manner, and there is good cause why it should not be part of the public record ofthis case.
The parties further acknowledge that this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order does not entitle them to file confidential information under seal; Local Civil Rule 79-5 sets forth the procedures that must be followed and the standards that will be applied when a party seeks permission from the Court to file material under seal.
There is a strong presumption that the public has a right of access to judicial proceedings and records in civil cases. In connection with non-dispositive motions, good cause must be shown to support a filing under seal. See Kamakana v. City and County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1176 (9th Cir. 2006), Phillips v. Gen. Motors Corp., 307 F.3d 1206, 1210-11 (9th Cir. 2002), Makar-Welbon v. Sony Elecs., Inc., 187 F.R.D. 576, 577 (E.D. Wis. 1999) (even stipulated protective orders require good cause showing), and a specific showing of good cause or compelling reasons with proper evidentiary support and legal justification, must be made with respect to Protected Material that a party seeks to file under seal. The parties' mere designation of Material as CONFIDENTIAL or CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY does not—without the submission of competent evidence by declaration, establishing that the material sought to be filed under seal qualifies as confidential, privileged, or otherwise protectable—constitute good cause.
Further, if a party requests sealing related to a dispositive motion or trial, then compelling reasons, not only good cause, for the sealing must be shown, and the relief sought shall be narrowly tailored to serve the specific interest to be protected. See Pintos v. Pacific Creditors Ass'n, 605 F.3d 665, 677-79 (9th Cir. 2010). For each item or type of information, document, or thing sought to be filed or introduced under seal in connection with a dispositive motion or trial, the party seeking protection must articulate compelling reasons, supported by specific facts and legal justification, for the requested sealing order. Again, competent evidence supporting the application to file documents under seal must be provided by declaration.
Any document that is not confidential, privileged, or otherwise protectable in its entirety will not be filed under seal if the confidential portions can be redacted. If documents can be redacted, then a redacted version for public viewing, omitting only the confidential, privileged, or otherwise protectable portions of the document, shall be filed. Any application that seeks to file documents under seal in their entirety should include an explanation of why redaction is not feasible.
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
2.14
2.15
2.16
2.17
The protections conferred by this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order cover not only Protected Material (as defined above), but also (1) any information copied or extracted from Protected Material; (2) all copies, excerpts, summaries, or compilations of Protected Material; and (3) any testimony, conversations, or presentations by Parties or their Counsel that might reveal Protected Material.
Any use of Protected Material at trial shall be governed by the orders of the trial judge. This Order does not govern the use of Protected Material at trial.
The terms of this Protective Order shall survive the final termination of this Action to the extent that any Protected Material is not or does not become known to the public. This Court shall retain jurisdiction over this Action for the purpose of enforcing this Protective Order. The Parties agree that any order of dismissal of this Action as to any or all Parties shall include specific provision that the Court retains jurisdiction to enforce the terms of this Protective Order following dismissal. Each Party hereby consents to the personal jurisdiction of the Court for that purpose.
5.1
5.2
Designation in conformity with this Order requires:
(a) For information in documentary form (e.g., paper or electronic documents, but excluding transcripts of depositions or other pretrial or trial proceedings), that the Producing Party affix at a minimum, the legend "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" to each page that contains Protected Material. If only a portion of the material on a page qualifies for protection, the Producing Party also must clearly identify the protected portion(s) (e.g., by making appropriate markings in the margins).
(b) For testimony given in depositions that the Designating Party identifies the Material on the record, before the close of the deposition all protected testimony.
(c) For information produced in some form other than documentary and for any other tangible items, that the Producing Party affix in a prominent place on the exterior of the container or containers in which the information is stored the legend "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY." If only a portion or portions of the information warrants protection, the Producing Party, to the extent practicable, shall identify the protected portion(s).
(d) For material made available for inspection by Outside Counsel for the Receiving Party, that that Parties shall initially consider all such material to be "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" and subject to this Protective Order even though no formal designation has yet been made. Thereafter, the Producing Party shall have fourteen (14) days to review and designate the inspected Material as "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" prior to furnishing copies to the Receiving Party.
5.3
5.4
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4 The burden of persuasion in any such challenge proceeding shall be on the Designating Party. Frivolous challenges or designations, and those made for an improper purpose (e.g., to harass or impose unnecessary expenses and burdens on other parties) may expose the Challenging Party or Designating Party to sanctions. Unless the Designating Party has waived or withdrawn the confidentiality designation, all parties shall continue to afford the material in question the level of protection to which it is entitled under the Producing Party's designation until the Court rules on the challenge.
7.1
Protected Material must be stored and maintained by a Receiving Party at a location and in a secure manner that ensures that access is limited to the persons authorized under this Order.
7.2
(a) the Receiving Party's Outside Counsel of Record in this Action, as well as employees of said Outside Counsel of Record to whom it is reasonably necessary to disclose the information for this Action;
(b) the officers, directors, and employees (including In-House Counsel) of the Receiving Party to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action;
(c) Experts (as defined in this Order) of the Receiving Party to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action and who have signed the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A);
(d) the Court and its personnel;
(e) court reporters and their staff;
(f) professional jury or trial consultants, mock jurors, and Professional Vendors to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action and who have signed the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A);
(g) the author or recipient of a document containing the information or a custodian or other person who otherwise possessed or knew the information;
(h) during their depositions, witnesses, and attorneys for witnesses, in the Action to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary, provided that they will not be permitted to keep any Protected Material unless they sign the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A), unless otherwise agreed by the Designating Party or ordered by the Court. Pages of transcribed deposition testimony or exhibits to depositions that reveal Protected Material may be separately bound by the court reporter and may not be disclosed to anyone except as permitted under this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order; and
(i) any mediator or settlement officer, and their supporting personnel, mutually agreed upon by any of the parties engaged in settlement discussions.
7.3
(a) the Receiving Party's Outside Counsel of Record in this Action, as well as employees of said Outside Counsel of Record to whom it is reasonably necessary to disclose the information for this Action;
(b) one (1) In-House Counsel of the Receiving Party, provided that: (a) each such person has agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Protective Order by signing the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A); (b) no unresolved objections to such disclosure exist after proper notice has been given to all Parties as set forth in Section 7.4.2 below; (c) no copies of the Material designated "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" may be stored or examined on the business premises of the Receiving Party; and (d) no electronic copies of the Material designated "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" may be stored or examined on servers maintained by the Receiving Party.
(c) Experts (as defined in this Order) of the Receiving Party to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action and who have signed the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A);
(d) the Court and its personnel;
(e) court reporters and their staff;
(f) professional jury or trial consultants, mock jurors, and Professional Vendors to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action and who have signed the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A);
(g) the author or recipient of a document containing the information or a custodian or other person who otherwise possessed or knew the information;
(h) during depositions, Outside Counsel, one (1) In-House Counsel, witnesses, and attorneys for witnesses, in the Action to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary, provided that they will not be permitted to keep any Protected Material unless they sign the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A), unless otherwise agreed by the Designating Party or ordered by the court. Pages of transcribed deposition testimony or exhibits to depositions that reveal Protected Material may be separately bound by the court reporter and may not be disclosed to anyone except as permitted under this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order; and
(i) any mediator or settlement officer, and their supporting personnel, mutually agreed upon by any of the parties engaged in settlement discussions.
7.4
7.4.1
7.4.2
(a) current curriculum vitae, including the full name of the individual and the city and state of his or her primary residence;
(b) business address and title;
(c) the individual's current employer;
(d) any previous or current relationship (personal or professional) with any of the Parties or prior assignees of any of the asserted patents;
(e) a listing of other actions (including case name, case number, and court/agency) in which the individual has testified (at trial, deposition or in a hearing) in the last five (5) years;
(f) an identification of all of the Person's past and current employment and consulting relationships, including direct relationships and relationships through entities owned or controlled by the Person, including but not limited to an identification of any individual or entity with or for whom the person is employed or to whom the person provides consulting services
(g) a listing of all publications written by the individual for the past ten (10) years.
(h) nature of business or profession;
(i) an identification of all pending patent applications on which the Person is named as an inventor, in which the Person has any ownership interest, or as to which the Person has had or anticipates in the future any involvement in advising on, consulting on, preparing, prosecuting, drafting, editing, amending, or otherwise affecting the scope of the claims;
(j) a signed copy of the Person's "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" (Exhibit A). A separate "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" by Protective Order shall not be required for staff members working under the supervision of an individual signing Exhibit A. An individual signing Exhibit A, however, shall accept full responsibility for taking measures to ensure that staff members working under his or her supervision comply with terms of this Protective Order.
7.4.3
7.4.4
7.5
7.5.1 Nothing herein shall prevent disclosure of Protected Material: (a) by the Producing Party to anyone else the Producing Party deems appropriate; (b) by the Receiving Party to an officer of the Producing Party; (c) by a Party to any Person, whether or not affiliated with the Producing Party at the time of disclosure, who either authored the Protected Material, in whole or in part, or who has independently received the Protected Material other than through a means constituting a breach of this Protective Order or inadvertent disclosure; or (d) to any Person who is reasonably identified as previously having had access to the Protected Material.
7.6
(a) A former or current director or officer, and/or employee of a Producing Party may be examined and may testify concerning all Protected Material which has been produced by that party;
(b) Non-Parties that are not a former or current director or officer, and/or employee of a Producing Party may be examined or testify concerning any document containing Protected Material of a Producing Party which appears on its face or from other documents or testimony to have originated from the Non-Party or to have been communicated to the Non-Party by the Producing Party.
(c) Nothing in the above provisions shall act as a waiver to a Party's right to object to the use of the Protected Material or to questions regarding or relating to the Protected Material.
If a Party is served with a subpoena or a court order issued in other litigation that compels disclosure of any information or items designated in this Action as "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY," that Party must:
(a) promptly notify in writing the Designating Party. Such notification shall include a copy of the subpoena or court order;
(b) promptly notify in writing the party who caused the subpoena or order to issue in the other litigation that some or all of the material covered by the subpoena or order is subject to this Protective Order. Such notification shall include a copy of this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order; and
(c) cooperate with respect to all reasonable procedures sought to be pursued by the Designating Party whose Protected Material may be affected.
If the Designating Party timely seeks a protective order, the Party served with the subpoena or court order shall not produce any information designated in this Action as "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY" before a determination by the Court from which the subpoena or order issued, unless the Party has obtained the Designating Party's permission. The. Designating Party shall bear the burden and expense of seeking protection in that court of its confidential material and nothing in these provisions should be construed as authorizing or encouraging a Receiving Party in this Action to disobey a lawful directive from another court.
9.1 The terms of this Order are applicable to information produced by a Non-Party in this Action and designated as "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CONFIDENTIAL — OUTSIDE COUNSEL'S EYES ONLY." Such information produced by Non-Parties in connection with this Litigation is protected by the remedies and relief provided by this Order. Nothing in these provisions should be construed as prohibiting a Non-Party from seeking additional protections.
9.3 If the Non-Party fails to seek a protective order from this Court within fourteen (14) days of receiving the notice and accompanying information, the Receiving Party may produce the Non-Party's confidential information responsive to the discovery request. If the Non-Party timely seeks a protective order, the Receiving Party shall not produce any information in its possession or control that is subject to the confidentiality agreement with the Non-Party before a determination by the Court. Absent a Court order to the contrary, the Non-Party shall bear the burden and expense of seeking protection in this Court of its Protected Material.
If a Receiving Party learns that, by inadvertence or otherwise, it has disclosed Protected Material to any person or in any circumstance not authorized under this Stipulated First Amended Protective Order, the Receiving Party must immediately (a) notify in writing the Designating Party of the unauthorized disclosures, (b) use its best efforts to retrieve all unauthorized copies of the Protected Material, (c) inform the person or persons to whom unauthorized disclosures were made of all the terms of this Order, and (d) request such person or persons to execute the "Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound" that is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
When a Producing Party gives notice to Receiving Parties that certain inadvertently produced material is subject to a claim of privilege or other protection, the obligations of the Receiving Parties are those set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(5)(B). Pursuant to Federal Rule of Evidence 502(d) and (e), insofar as the parties reach an agreement on the effect of disclosure of a communication or information covered by the attorney-client privilege or work product protection, the parties may incorporate their agreement in the Stipulated First Amended Protective Order submitted to the Court.
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4
12.4.1 Absent written permission from the Producing Party or a Court Order secured after appropriate notice to all interested persons, a Receiving Party may not file or disclose in the public record any Protected Material.
12.4.2 Any Party is authorized in accordance with Local Rule 79-5 to file under seal with the Court any brief, document or materials that are designated as Protected Material under this Order.
After the final disposition of this Action, defined as the entry of a final nonappealable judgment or order, or the complete settlement of all claims asserted against all Parties in this Action, within sixty (60) days of a written request by the Designating Party, each Receiving Party must return all Protected Material to the Producing Party or destroy such material. As used in this subdivision, "all Protected Material" includes all copies, abstracts, compilations, summaries, and any other format reproducing or capturing any of the Protected Material. Whether the Protected Material is returned or destroyed, the Receiving Party must submit a written certification to the Producing Party (and, if not the same person or entity, to the Designating Party) by the sixty (60) day deadline that (1) all the Protected Material that was returned or destroyed and (2) affirms that the Receiving Party has not retained any copies, abstracts, compilations, summaries or any other format reproducing or capturing any of the Protected Material. Notwithstanding this provision, Outside Counsel of Record are entitled to retain an archival copy of all pleadings, motion papers, trial, deposition, and hearing transcripts, legal memoranda, correspondence, deposition and trial exhibits, expert reports, attorney work product, and consultant and expert work product, even if such materials contain Protected Material. Any such archival copies that contain or constitute Protected Material remain subject to this Protective Order.
Any violation of this Order may be punished by appropriate measures including, without limitation, contempt proceedings and/or monetary sanctions.
Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 5-4.3.4(a)(2)(i), I, Jenny Kim, hereby attest that all other signatories listed, and on whose behalf the filing is submitted, concur in the filing's content and have authorized the filing.
I ____________________, state
The undersigned hereby acknowledges that he or she has received and read the Protective Order entered in the United States District Court for the Central District of California in connection with the above-captioned action, and understands its terms and agrees to be bound by each of those terms. Specifically, and without limitation upon such terms, the undersigned agrees not to use or disclose any confidential information made available to him or her other than in accordance with said Protective Order. The undersigned further submits to the jurisdiction of this Court for purposes of enforcement of, or disputes relating to, said Protective Order.
I state under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief