BioOrigyn LLC v. Fairhaven Health LLC

Opinion

1 THE HONORABLE RICHARD A. JONES

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8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 9 AT SEATTLE 10 BIOORIGYN, LLC, and JOANNA ) 11 ELLINGTON CLIFTON ) ) Case No. 2:20-cv-00285-RAJ 12 Plaintiffs, ) ) ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO 13 v. ) SEAL ) 14 FAIRHAVEN HEALTH, LLC, ) ) 15 Defendant. ) 16 This matter is before the Court on Plaintiffs’ motion to seal. Dkt. # 2. The 17 motion is unopposed. For the following reasons, the Court GRANTS the motion. 18 “There is a strong presumption of public access to the court’s files.” Western 19 District of Washington Local Civil Rule (“LCR”) 5(g). “Only in rare circumstances 20 should a party file a motion, opposition, or reply under seal.” LCR 5(g)(5). Normally 21 the moving party must include “a specific statement of the applicable legal standard and 22 the reasons for keeping a document under seal, with evidentiary support from 23 declarations where necessary.” LCR 5(g)(3)(B). 24 Under LCR 5(g), whichever party designates a document confidential must 25 provide a “specific statement of the applicable legal standard and the reasons for 26 keeping a document under seal, including an explanation of: (i) the legitimate private or 27 1 public interest that warrant the relief sought; (ii) the injury that will result if the relief 2 sought is not granted; and (iii) why a less restrictive alternative to the relief sought is not 3 sufficient.” LCR 5(g). 4 Here, the Court finds that Plaintiffs have demonstrated compelling reasons to file 5 the identified document under seal. Kamakana v. Cty. of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 6 1178-81 (9th Cir. 2006). The Court has reviewed the document and finds that it 7 contains sensitive proprietary and confidential business information. See Moussouris v. 8 Microsoft Corp., No. 15-cv-1483 JLR, 2018 WL 2124162, at *2 (W.D. Wash. Apr. 24, 9 2018). The Court agrees that the Plaintiffs’ interest in protecting its confidential 10 business information outweighs the right of public access. Douglas v. Xerox Bus. Servs. 11 LLC, No. C12-1798-JCC, 2014 WL 12641056, at *1 (W.D. Wash. Apr. 11, 2014). 12 Accordingly, Plaintiffs’ motion to seal is GRANTED. Dkt. # 2. 13 14 DATED this the 30th day of March, 2020.

15 A 16 17 The Honorable Richard A. Jones 18 United States District Judge 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27