I.D. v. Franklin Pierce School District

W.D. Washington

I.D. v. Franklin Pierce School District

District Court, W.D. Washington·Decided August 12, 2025·No. 3:25-cv-05367·Unknown

Opinion

Honorable David G. Estudillo 1

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

10 H.G., by and through her parent I.D., Case No.: 3:25-cv-05367-DGE 11 Plaintiffs, 12 v. ORDER GRANTING STIPULATED 13 MOTION TO FILE UNREDACTED FRANKLIN PIERCE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD UNDER

15 Defendant. 16 This matter comes before the Court on the parties’ stipulated motion to file the 17 administrative record under seal. The Court starts from the position that there is “a strong 18 presumption in favor of access to court records.” Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 19 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003). To overcome this presumption, there must be a “compelling 20 reason” for sealing that is “sufficient to outweigh the public’s interest in disclosure.” Kamakana 21 v. City & County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1179 (9th Cir. 2006). Compelling reasons exist in 22 this case: the administrative record contains a student’s private educational and medical 23 information, and Plaintiffs’ interest in keeping that information confidential outweighs the public’s 24 interest in disclosure. See id. Given the volume of the record and the prevalence of sensitive 25

1 of 2 | ORDER GRANTING STIP. MOTION TO SEAL Cedar Law PLLC ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD 600 1st Ave., Ste. 330., PMB 96563 1 information, redacting this confidential information would be overly burdensome and would 2 render the remaining record difficult to understand – and thus far less valuable – to the public. 3 Accordingly, the Court GRANTS the Parties’ stipulated motion and DIRECTS the Clerk to 4 maintain the administrative record under seal once it is filed. 5 Dated this 12th day of August, 2025.

7 8 A 9 David G. Estudillo United States District Judge 10

12 Presented by:

14 By: _s/ Ryan P. Ford_ 15 Ryan P. Ford, WSBA # 50628 Anna Moritz, WSBA #49157 16 Attorneys for Plaintiffs

18 PACIFICA LAW GROUP LLP 19 By: __s/ Sam E. Chalfant_ 20 Sam E. Chalfant, WSBA #46080 Sarah C. Johnson, WSBA #34529 21 Attorneys for Defendant 22 23 24 25

2 of 2 | ORDER GRANTING STIP. MOTION TO SEAL Cedar Law PLLC ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD 600 1st Ave., Ste. 330., PMB 96563

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Honorable David G. Estudillo 1

WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON

10 H.G., by and through her parent I.D., Case No.: 3:25-cv-05367-DGE 11 Plaintiffs, 12 v. ORDER GRANTING STIPULATED 13 MOTION TO FILE UNREDACTED FRANKLIN PIERCE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD UNDER

15 Defendant. 16 This matter comes before the Court on the parties’ stipulated motion to file the 17 administrative record under seal. The Court starts from the position that there is “a strong 18 presumption in favor of access to court records.” Foltz v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 331 19 F.3d 1122, 1135 (9th Cir. 2003). To overcome this presumption, there must be a “compelling 20 reason” for sealing that is “sufficient to outweigh the public’s interest in disclosure.” Kamakana 21 v. City & County of Honolulu, 447 F.3d 1172, 1179 (9th Cir. 2006). Compelling reasons exist in 22 this case: the administrative record contains a student’s private educational and medical 23 information, and Plaintiffs’ interest in keeping that information confidential outweighs the public’s 24 interest in disclosure. See id. Given the volume of the record and the prevalence of sensitive 25

1 of 2 | ORDER GRANTING STIP. MOTION TO SEAL Cedar Law PLLC ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD 600 1st Ave., Ste. 330., PMB 96563 1 information, redacting this confidential information would be overly burdensome and would 2 render the remaining record difficult to understand – and thus far less valuable – to the public. 3 Accordingly, the Court GRANTS the Parties’ stipulated motion and DIRECTS the Clerk to 4 maintain the administrative record under seal once it is filed. 5 Dated this 12th day of August, 2025.

7 8 A 9 David G. Estudillo United States District Judge 10

12 Presented by:

14 By: _s/ Ryan P. Ford_ 15 Ryan P. Ford, WSBA # 50628 Anna Moritz, WSBA #49157 16 Attorneys for Plaintiffs

18 PACIFICA LAW GROUP LLP 19 By: __s/ Sam E. Chalfant_ 20 Sam E. Chalfant, WSBA #46080 Sarah C. Johnson, WSBA #34529 21 Attorneys for Defendant 22 23 24 25

2 of 2 | ORDER GRANTING STIP. MOTION TO SEAL Cedar Law PLLC ADMINISTRATIVE RECORD 600 1st Ave., Ste. 330., PMB 96563

I.D. v. Franklin Pierce School District, (W.D. Wash. 2025).

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