1 Douglas E. Dexter (State Bar No. 115868) ddexter@fbm.com 2 Kevin L. Jones (State Bar No. 324068) kjones@fbm.com 3 Benjamin R. Buchwalter (State Bar No. 301130) bbuchwalter@fbm.com 4 Margaret J.C. Salisbury (State Bar No. 354442) msalisbury@fbm.com 5 Farella Braun + Martel LLP One Bush Street, Suite 900 6 San Francisco, California 94104 Telephone: (415) 954-4400 7 Facsimile: (415) 954-4480
8 Attorneys for Defendant AMAZON.COM, INC. and AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC 9
10 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 11 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, SACRAMENTO DIVISION 12 13 JAMES COPELAND, Case No. 2:25-cv-0445-TLN-JDP
14 Plaintiff, [PROPOSED] STIPULATED PROTECTIVE ORDER 15 vs. Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson 16 AMAZON.COM, INC.; AMAZON.COM Courtroom 9, 13th Floor SERVICES LLC; and DOES 1 through 20, 17 inclusive, Trial Date: None Set.
18 Defendants.
22 23 24 25 26 27 1 IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between Plaintiff James Copeland (“Plaintiff”) and 2 Defendants AMAZON.COM, INC. and AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC (collectively 3 “Defendants”) (collectively “the parties”), through their respective attorneys of record, hereby 4 stipulate for the purpose of jointly requesting that the honorable Court enter a protective order 5 regarding confidential documents and information in this matter (and pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 6 5.2, 7, and 26, as well as, U.S. Dist. Ct., E.D. Cal. Local Rule 141, 141.1, 143, and 251) as 7 follows: 8 1. PURPOSES AND LIMITATIONS 9 Disclosure and discovery activity in this action are likely to involve the production of 10 confidential, proprietary, sensitive, and/or private information that has not been disseminated to 11 the public, which is not readily discoverable by competitors, and has been the subject of 12 reasonable efforts by the parties to maintain its secrecy. Such information warrants special 13 protection from public disclosure and from use for any purpose other than prosecuting this 14 litigation. Accordingly, the parties hereby stipulate to the following Stipulated Protective Order, 15 which, among other things, identifies categories of “CONFIDENTIAL” information and items, 16 and how the parties may use and disclose such information and items. Pursuant to Local Rule 17 141.1(c)(3), the Parties request that this Court “So Order” the following Stipulated Protective 18 Order to ensure that the parties have sufficient recourse if they cannot resolve a dispute amongst 19 themselves; need to modify any terms of this Order; and/or if a third party violates the terms of 20 this Order. 21 The parties acknowledge that this Stipulated Protective Order does not confer blanket 22 protections on all disclosures or responses to discovery and that the protection it affords from 23 public disclosure and use extends only to the limited information or items that are entitled to 24 confidential treatment under the applicable legal principles. The parties further acknowledge, as 25 set forth in Paragraph 13.4, below, that this Stipulated Protective Order does not entitle them to 26 file confidential information under seal; Civil Local Rule 141 sets forth the procedures that must 27 be followed and the standards that will be applied when a party seeks permission from the Court to 1 A. Good Cause Statement Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26 2 Disclosure and discovery activity in this action are likely to involve production of 3 confidential, proprietary, or private information for which special protection from public 4 disclosure and from use for any purpose other than prosecuting this litigation may be warranted. 5 Accordingly, the parties stipulate to and petition the Court to enter the following Stipulated 6 Protective Order. The parties acknowledge that this Order does not confer blanket protections on 7 all disclosures or responses to discovery, and that the protection it affords from public disclosure 8 and use extends only to the limited information or items that are entitled to confidential treatment 9 under applicable legal principles. The parties recognize that, generally, the public can gain access 10 to litigation documents and information produced during discovery unless the party opposing 11 disclosure shows “good cause” why a protective order is necessary. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c)(1). 12 Accordingly, to expedite the flow of information, to facilitate the prompt resolution of 13 disputes over confidentiality of discovery materials, to adequately protect information the parties 14 are entitled to keep confidential, to ensure that the parties are permitted reasonable, necessary uses 15 of such material in preparation for and in the conduct of trial, to address their handling at the end 16 of the litigation, and serve the ends of justice, a protective order for such information is justified in 17 this matter. It is the intent of the parties that information will not be designated as confidential for 18 tactical reasons and that nothing be so designated without a good faith belief that it has been 19 maintained in a confidential, non-public manner, and there is good cause why it should not be part 20 of the public record of this case. 21 Particularized Need for Protection: 22 Pursuant to Local Rule141.1(c)(2), Defendants assert that there exists a specific, 23 particularized need for protection as to the information covered by this stipulated protective order. 24 Defendants represented to the Court and Plaintiff that the materials designated to be covered by 25 this stipulated protective order are limited solely to those which would qualify for protection under 26 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c), and does not include information designated on a blanket 27 or indiscriminate basis. See, e.g., In Re Roman Catholic Archbishop of Portland, 661 F.3d 417, 1 Showing of Need for a Protective Order: 2 Pursuant to Local Rule 141.1(c)(3), protection afforded by this stipulated protective order 3 is for the convenience of Defendants and the Court. Defendants seek to avoid litigation and 4 expenditure of resources concerning a potential motion for protective order pursuant to Federal 5 Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c). The entry of this stipulated protective order may prevent the parties 6 and the Court from conducting the usual document-by-document analysis necessary to obtain 7 protection, in favor of a procedure whereby presumptive protection is afforded based on 8 Defendants’ good faith representations of the need for protection. See, e.g., Cipollone v. Liggett 9 Group, Inc., 785 F.2d 1108, 1122 (3d Cir. 1986) (“[T]he burden of justifying the confidentiality of 10 each and every document sought to be covered by a protective order remains on the party seeking 11 the protective order; any other conclusion would turn Rule 26(c) on its head.”). As a result, 12 production may be made with this stipulated protective order in place and, if necessary, it will 13 permit discrete and narrowed challenges to documents designated for protection. 14 B. Statement Pursuant to L.R. 141.1 15 In accordance with the provisions of Local Rule 141.1, the parties state as follows: 16 (1) L.R. 141.1(c)(1): The information eligible for a protective order in this case is: 17 a. Medical records of parties and non-parties, including but not limited to 18 records of medical, psychological, or psychiatric diagnosis and/or treatment, 19 which records may contain private health information and other sensitive 20 and private personal identifying information 21 b. Personnel information, including compensation information, evaluations, 22 investigation-related documents, or other information that would constitute 23 an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy of the individuals involved or 24 that contains personally identifiable information; 25 c. Confidential internal policies which are generally unavailable to the public, 26 governing the management and/or supervision of employees and payment 27 of employee wages and/or benefits; 1 descriptions concerning the processing and handling of goods and products 2 not known to the public; 3 e. Confidential documents reflecting Defendants’ corporate and organizational 4 structure, including the identification and personally identifiable 5 information of non-party individuals; and, 6 f. Financial records of parties and non-parties, including earnings statements, 7 tax forms, bank statements, credit statements, and other sensitive and 8 private records containing financial and personal identifying information. 9 (2) L.R. 141.1(c)(2): Generally speaking, information and documents shall only be 10 designated under the protective order because the Designating Party has a good faith basis to 11 believe the information is protectable under the “good cause” standard of Rule 26(c). Specifically, 12 a particularized need exists as to these categories as follows: 13 a. Personnel and personal information as described in (a), (b), (d) and (f), 14 above meets the “good cause” standard because, by definition, such 15 information invades the personal privacy of the affected individuals. 16 (3) L.R. 141.1(c)(3): The Parties submit that a stipulated Protective Order is the most 17 efficient method for the parties and the Court to address legitimate confidentiality concerns. The 18 parties have met and conferred on this issue and agree that any private agreement between the 19 parties to safeguard this information will only need to be replicated through orders of this Court at 20 the time of filing dispositive or non-dispositive motions. 21 2. DEFINITIONS 22 2.1 Action: This pending federal lawsuit, means the above-entitled proceeding, James 23 Copeland v. Amazon.com, Inc; Amazon.com Services LLC, Case No.: 2:25-cv-00445-JDP, 24 United States District Court, Eastern District of California. 25 2.2 Challenging Party: a Party or Non-Party that challenges the designation of 26 information or items under this Order. 27 2.3 “CONFIDENTIAL” Information or Items: information (regardless of how it is 1 of Civil Procedure 26(c). CONFIDENTIAL Information or Items may include, without limitation, 2 any Documents, Testimony or Information that the Designating Party in good faith believes to 3 contain non-public information that is entitled to confidential treatment under applicable law. 4 2.4 Counsel (without qualifier): Outside Counsel of Record and In-House Counsel (as 5 well as their support staff). 6 2.5 Designating Party: a Party or Non-Party that designates information or items 7 produced in disclosures or in responses to discovery, or testimony at a deposition, as 8 “CONFIDENTIAL.” 9 2.6 Disclosure or Discovery Material: all items or information, regardless of the 10 medium or manner in which it is generated, stored, or maintained (including, among other things, 11 testimony, transcripts, and tangible things), that are produced or generated in disclosures or 12 responses to discovery in this matter, including but not limited to, answers to interrogatories, 13 responses to requests for production, responses to requests for admission, and transcripts of 14 depositions and hearings (or portions of such transcripts). 15 2.7 “Documents” means (i) any “Writing,” “Original,” and “Duplicate” as those terms 16 are defined by California Evidence Code Sections 250, 255, and 260, which have been produced 17 in discovery in this Proceeding by any person or entity, and (ii) any copies, reproductions, or 18 summaries of all or any part of the foregoing. 19 2.8 Expert: a person with specialized knowledge or experience in a matter pertinent to 20 the litigation who has been retained by a Party or its counsel to serve as an expert witness or as a 21 consultant in this Action. 22 2.9 Trade Secret: information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, 23 device, method, technique, or process that: (i) derives independent economic value, actual or 24 potential, from not being generally known to the public or to other persons who can obtain 25 economic value from its disclosure or use, and (ii) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable 26 under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy. 27 2.10 In-House Counsel: attorneys who are employees of a Party to this Action. In-House 1 2.11 Non-Party: any natural person, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal 2 entity not named as a Party to this Action. 3 2.12 Outside Counsel of Record: attorneys who are not employees of a party to this 4 Action but are retained to represent or advise a party to this Action and have appeared in this 5 Action on behalf of that party or are affiliated and/or associated with a law firm which has 6 appeared on behalf of that party, and their support staff. 7 2.13 Party: any party to this Action, including all of its officers, directors, employees, 8 Experts, and Outside Counsel of Record (and their support staff). 9 2.14 Producing Party: a Party or Non-Party that produces Disclosure or Discovery 10 Material in this Action. 11 2.15 Professional Vendors: persons or entities that provide litigation support services 12 (e.g., photocopying, videotaping, translating, preparing exhibits or demonstrations, and 13 processing, organizing, storing, or retrieving data in any form or medium) to a Party and their 14 employees and subcontractors. 15 2.16 Protected Material: any Disclosure or Discovery Material that is designated as 16 “CONFIDENTIAL.” 17 2.17 Receiving Party: a Party that receives Disclosure or Discovery Material from a 18 Producing Party. 19 3. SCOPE 20 The protections conferred by this Stipulation and Order cover not only Protected Material 21 (as defined above), but also (1) any information copied or extracted from Protected Material; (2) 22 all copies, excerpts, summaries, or compilations of Protected Material; and (3) any testimony, 23 conversations, or presentations by Parties or their Counsel that might reveal Protected Material. 24 However, the protections conferred by this Stipulation and Order do not cover the following 25 information: (a) any information that is in the public domain at the time of disclosure to a 26 Receiving Party or becomes part of the public domain after its disclosure to a Receiving Party as a 27 result of publication not involving a violation of this Order; and (b) any information known to the 1 from a source who obtained the information lawfully and under no obligation of confidentiality to 2 the Designating Party. Any use of Protected Material at trial will be governed by a separate 3 agreement or order to be prepared by the Parties for submission to the Court for approval prior to 4 the final pre-trial conference. 5 4. DURATION 6 Even after final disposition of this litigation, the confidentiality obligations imposed by this 7 Order shall remain in effect until a Designating Party agrees otherwise in writing or a court order 8 otherwise directs. Final disposition shall be deemed to be the later of (1) dismissal of all claims 9 and defenses in this Action, with or without prejudice; and (2) final judgment herein after the 10 completion and exhaustion of all appeals, rehearings, remands, trials, or reviews of this Action, 11 including the time limits for filing any motions or applications for extension of time pursuant to 12 applicable law. For a period of six (6) months after final disposition of this litigation, this Court 13 will retain jurisdiction to enforce the terms of this Order. 14 5. DESIGNATING PROTECTED MATERIAL 15 5.1 Exercise of Restraint and Care in Designating Material for Protection. Each Party 16 or Non-Party that designates information or items for protection under this Order must take care to 17 limit any such designation to specific material that qualifies under the appropriate standards. The 18 Designating Party must designate for protection only the portions of material, documents, items, 19 or oral or written communications that qualify so that other portions of the material, documents, 20 items, or communications for which protection is not warranted are not designated, to the extent 21 practicable. Mass, indiscriminate, or routinized designations are prohibited. Designations that are 22 shown to have been made for an improper purpose (e.g., to unnecessarily encumber or retard the 23 case development process or to impose unnecessary expenses and burdens on other parties) expose 24 the Designating Party to sanctions. If it comes to a Designating Party’s attention that information 25 or items that it designated for protection do not qualify for protection, then the Designating Party 26 must promptly notify all other Parties that it is withdrawing the inapplicable designation. 27 5.2 Manner and Timing of Designations. Except as otherwise provided in this Order 1 Material that qualifies for protection under this Order must be clearly so designated before the 2 material is disclosed or produced. Designation in conformity with this Order requires: 3 (a) For information in documentary form (e.g., paper or electronic documents, but 4 excluding transcripts of depositions or other pretrial or trial proceedings), that the Producing Party 5 affix the legend “CONFIDENTIAL” to each page that contains protected material. If only a 6 portion or portions of the material on a page qualifies for protection, the Producing Party also must 7 clearly identify the protected portion(s) (e.g. by making appropriate markings in the margins). 8 (b) For testimony given in deposition or in other pretrial or trial proceedings, that the 9 Designating Party identify on the record, before the close of the deposition, hearing, or other 10 proceeding, or within thirty (30) days of receipt of the deposition transcript from the court reporter 11 (“30-day period”) all protected testimony, Disclosure or other proceeding. Where such a 12 designation is timely made, before the close of the deposition, hearing, or other proceeding, the 13 entire deposition transcript will be considered by the Parties as “CONFIDENTIAL” for a 30-day 14 period. After the 30-day period, if no Party has designated some or all of that deposition transcript 15 as “CONFIDENTIAL” under this Protective Order, the entire deposition, or those portions of the 16 deposition not designated as confidential, will no longer be considered confidential. 17 (c) For information produced in some form other than documentary and for any other 18 tangible items, that the Producing Party affix in a prominent place on the exterior of the container 19 or containers in which the information or item is stored the legend “CONFIDENTIAL.” If only a 20 portion or portions of the information warrants protection, the Producing Party, to the extent 21 practicable, shall identify the protected portion(s). For any information transmitted by electronic 22 means, the label “CONFIDENTIAL” shall appear on the subject of the electronic mail, or on the 23 title of the digital document or documents or other media through which they are conveyed. 24 Similarly, if only a portion or portions of the information warrants protection, the Producing Party, 25 to the extent practicable, shall identify the protected portion(s). 26 5.3 Inadvertent Failures to Designate. If timely corrected, an inadvertent failure to 27 designate qualified information or items does not, standing alone, waive the Designating Party’s 1 designation, the Receiving Party must make reasonable efforts to assure that the material is treated 2 in accordance with the provisions of this Order. 3 6. CHALLENGING CONFIDENTIALITY DESIGNATIONS 4 6.1 Timing of Challenges. Any Party may challenge a designation of confidentiality at 5 any time that is consistent with the Court’s Scheduling Order. 6 6.2 Form of Challenges. Any Party may dispute any other Party’s designation of any 7 Discovery Material as Protected Material at any time by serving a written notice of objection 8 (“Notice of Objection”) to such designation upon the Designating Party, with copies to every other 9 Party. The Notice of Objection shall specify the material or information (including an 10 identification of each document or group of documents by Bates number) that the objecting Party 11 (the “Challenging Party”) believes is not properly designated and, for each document for which 12 the designation is challenged, shall set forth the reasons why the designation is improper and 13 should be removed. 14 6.3 Meet and Confer. The Parties shall attempt to resolve each challenge in good faith 15 and may begin the process by conferring directly (in voice-to-voice dialogue; other forms of 16 communication are not sufficient) within seven (7) business days of the date of service of the 17 Notice of Objection. In conferring, the Challenging Party must explain the basis for its belief that 18 the confidentiality designation was not proper and must give the Designating Party an opportunity 19 to review the designated material, to reconsider the circumstances, and, if no change in 20 designation is offered, to explain the basis for the chosen designation. A Challenging Party may 21 proceed to the next stage of the challenge process only if it has engaged in this meet and confer 22 process first or establishes that the Designating Party is unwilling to participate in the meet and 23 confer process in a timely manner. 24 6.4 Judicial Intervention. If the Parties cannot resolve a challenge without court 25 intervention, the Designating Party shall file and serve a motion to retain confidentiality under 26 Civil Local Rule 7 (and in compliance with Civil Local Rule 79-5, if applicable) within 21 days of 27 the meet and confer on the challenge or within 14 days of the parties agreeing that the meet and 1 accompanied by a competent declaration affirming that the movant has complied with the meet 2 and confer requirements imposed in the preceding paragraph. Failure by the Designating Party to 3 make such a motion including the required declaration within 21 days (or 14 days, if applicable) 4 shall automatically waive the confidentiality designation for each challenged designation. In 5 addition, the Challenging Party may file a motion challenging a confidentiality designation at any 6 time if there is good cause for doing so, including a challenge to the designation of a deposition 7 transcript or any portions thereof. Any motion brought pursuant to this provision must be 8 accompanied by a competent declaration affirming that the movant has complied with the meet 9 and confer requirements imposed by the preceding paragraph. 10 The burden of persuasion in any challenge proceeding shall be on the Designating Party. 11 Unless the Designating Party has expressly waived the confidentiality designation by failing to file 12 a motion to retain confidentiality as described above, all parties shall continue to afford the 13 material in question the level of protection to which it is entitled under the Producing Party’s 14 designation until the Court rules on the challenge. 15 7. ACCESS TO AND USE OF PROTECTED MATERIAL 16 7.1 Basic Principles. A Receiving Party may use Protected Material that is disclosed or 17 produced by another Party or by a Non-Party in connection with this case only for prosecuting, 18 defending, or attempting to settle this litigation. Such Protected Material may be disclosed only to 19 the categories of persons and under the conditions described in this Order. When the litigation has 20 been terminated, a Receiving Party must comply with the provisions of paragraph 14 below 21 (FINAL DISPOSITION). Protected Material must be stored and maintained by a Receiving Party 22 at a location and in a secure manner that ensures that access is limited to the persons authorized 23 under this Order. 24 7.2 Disclosure of “CONFIDENTIAL” Information or Items. CONFIDENTIAL 25 Information or Items may contain sensitive personnel information and/or non-public business 26 information. Accordingly, unless otherwise ordered by the Court or permitted in writing by the 27 Designating Party, a Receiving Party may disclose any information or item designated 1 (a) the Receiving Party’s Outside Counsel of Record in this Action, as well as 2 employees or contractors of said Outside Counsel of Record to whom it is reasonably necessary to 3 disclose the information for this litigation; 4 (b) the directors, officers, and employees (including In-House Counsel) of the Parties 5 to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this litigation and who have signed the 6 “Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound” (Exhibit A); 7 (c) Experts (as defined in this Order) of the Receiving Party to whom disclosure is 8 reasonably necessary for this litigation and who have signed the “Acknowledgment and 9 Agreement to Be Bound” (Exhibit A); 10 (d) the Court and its personnel; 11 (e) court reporters and their staff, professional jury or trial consultants, mock jurors, 12 and professional vendors (such as litigation support services or settlement/notice administrators) to 13 whom disclosure is reasonably necessary for this Action and who have signed the 14 “Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound” (Exhibit A); 15 (f) any deponent, to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary and who has signed the 16 “Acknowledgment and Agreement to Be Bound” (Exhibit A), may be shown or examined on any 17 information, document or thing designated “CONFIDENTIAL” unless otherwise agreed by the 18 Parties or ordered by the Court. 19 (g) a witness who has authored or received a copy of the information, document or 20 thing designated “CONFIDENTIAL;” 21 (h) any other person as to whom the Designating Party has consented to disclosure in 22 advance; 23 (i) such other persons as may be ordered by the Court; and 24 (j) any mediator or settlement officer, and their supporting personnel, mutually agreed 25 upon by Parties engaged in settlement discussions. 26 8. PROCEDURE FOR DISCLOSURES TO EXPERTS 27 Prior to disclosing “CONFIDENTIAL” Material to a Receiving Party’s Expert, the 1 Bound” that is attached hereto as Exhibit A. Nothing herein shall be construed as to limit the right 2 of a Party to object to any expert. 3 9. PROTECTED MATERIAL SUBPOENAED OR ORDERED PRODUCED IN 4 OTHER LITIGATION 5 If a Receiving Party is served with a subpoena or a court order issued in other litigation 6 that would compel disclosure of any information or items designated in this Action as 7 “CONFIDENTIAL” the Receiving Party must: 8 (a) promptly notify in writing the Designating Party (by fax and email, if possible). 9 Such notification must include a copy of the subpoena or court order; 10 (b) promptly notify in writing the party who caused the subpoena or order to issue in 11 the other litigation that some or all of the material covered by the subpoena or order is subject to 12 this Order. Such notification shall include a copy of this Order; and (c) cooperate with respect to 13 all reasonable procedures sought to be pursued by the Designating Party whose Protected Material 14 may be affected. If the Designating Party timely seeks a protective order, the Receiving Party 15 served with the subpoena or court order shall not produce any information designated in this 16 Action as “CONFIDENTIAL” before a determination by the court from which the subpoena or 17 order issued, unless the Party has obtained the Designating Party’s permission. The Designating 18 Party shall bear the burden and expense of seeking production in that court of its confidential 19 material – and nothing in these provisions should be construed as authorizing or encouraging a 20 Receiving Party in this Action to disobey a lawful directive from another court. 21 10. A NON-PARTY’S PROTECTED MATERIAL SOUGHT TO BE PRODUCED IN 22 THIS LITIGATION 23 (a) The terms of this Order are applicable to information produced by a Non-Party in 24 this Action and designated as “CONFIDENTIAL.” Such information produced by Non-Parties in 25 connection with this litigation is protected by the remedies and relief provided by this Order. 26 Nothing in these provisions should be construed as prohibiting a Non-Party from seeking 27 additional protections. 1 (b) In the event that a Party is required, by a valid discovery request, to produce a Non- 2 Party’s confidential information in its possession, and the Party is subject to an agreement with the 3 Non-Party not to produce the Non-Party’s confidential information, then the Party shall: 4 (1) promptly notify in writing the Requesting Party and the Non-Party that 5 some or all of the information requested is subject to a confidentiality agreement with a Non-Party 6 (2) promptly provide the Non-Party with a copy of the Stipulated Protective 7 Order in this litigation, the relevant discovery request(s), and a reasonably specific description of 8 the information requested; and (3) make the information requested available for inspection by the 9 Non-Party. 10 (c) If the Non-Party fails to object or seek a protective order from this Court within 14 11 days of receiving the notice and accompanying information, the Receiving Party may produce the 12 Non-Party’s confidential information responsive to the discovery request. If the Non-Party timely 13 seeks a protective order, the Receiving Party shall not produce any information in its possession or 14 control that is subject to the confidentiality agreement with the Non-Party before determination by 15 the Court. Absent a Court order to the contrary, the Non-Party shall bear the burden and expense 16 of seeking protection in this court of its Protected Material. 17 11. UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF PROTECTED MATERIAL 18 If a Receiving Party learns that, by inadvertence or otherwise, it has disclosed Protected 19 Material to any person or in any circumstance not authorized under this Order, the Receiving Party 20 must immediately (a) notify in writing the Designating Party of the unauthorized disclosures, (b) 21 use its best efforts to retrieve all unauthorized copies of the Protected Material, (c) inform the 22 person or persons to whom unauthorized disclosures were made of all the terms of this Order, and 23 (d) request such person or persons to execute the “Acknowledgement and Agreement to Be 24 Bound” that is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 25 The purpose of this provision is to alert the interested parties to the existence of 26 confidentiality rights of a Non-Party and to afford the Non-Party an opportunity to protect its 27 confidentiality interests in this Court. 1 12. INADVERTENT PRODUCTION OF PRIVILEGED OR OTHERWISE 2 PROTECTED MATERIAL 3 When a Producing Party gives notice to Receiving Parties that certain inadvertently 4 produced material is subject to a claim of privilege or other protection, the obligations of the 5 Receiving Parties are those set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(5)(B). This 6 provision is not intended to modify whatever procedure may be established in an e-discovery order 7 that provides for production without prior privilege review. 8 If a Disclosing Party discloses information in connection with the pending litigation that 9 the Disclosing Party thereafter claims to be privileged or protected by the attorney-client privilege 10 or work product protection (“Protected Information”), the disclosure of that Protected Information 11 will not constitute or be deemed a waiver or forfeiture, in this or any other action, of any claim of 12 privilege or work product protection that the Disclosing Party would otherwise be entitled to assert 13 with respect to the Protected Information and its subject matter. 14 A Disclosing Party must promptly notify the Receiving Party, in writing, that it has 15 disclosed Protected Information without intending a waiver by the disclosure and explain, in 16 writing, why the Protected Information is privileged. Upon notification, the Receiving Party must, 17 unless it contests the claim of attorney-client privilege or work product protection, promptly: (i) 18 notify the Disclosing Party that it will make best efforts to identify and return, sequester or destroy 19 (or in the case of electronically-stored information, delete) the Protected Information and any 20 reasonably accessible copies it has; and (ii) provide a certification that it will cease further review, 21 dissemination, and use of the Protected Information. 22 If the Receiving Party contests the claim of attorney-client privilege or work product 23 protection, the Disclosing Party must, within five (5) business days of receipt of the notice of 24 disclosure, move the Court for a protective order regarding the disclosure of the information 25 claimed (a “Protective Motion”). The Disclosing Party will seek an order of Court permitting the 26 Protective Motion to be filed in compliance with Civil Local Rule 141. Pending resolution of the 27 Protective Motion, the Receiving Party must not use the challenged information in any way or 1 disclose it to any person other than those required by law to be served with a copy of the 2 Protective Motion. 3 The Disclosing Party retains the burden of establishing the privileged or protected nature 4 of the Protected Information. Nothing in this Order limits the right of any party to petition the 5 Court for an in camera review of the Protected Information. 6 This Stipulated Protective Order constitutes the entry of an order pursuant to FRE 502(e) 7 and is intended to be enforceable to the fullest extent that the Rules provide. The provisions of 8 Federal Rule 502(a) apply when the Disclosing Party uses or indicates that it may use information 9 produced under this Order to support a claim or defense. The provisions of Federal Rule of 10 Evidence 502(b)(2) are inapplicable to the production of Protected Information under this Order. 11 13. MISCELLANEOUS 12 13.1 Right to Further Relief. Nothing in this Protective Order abridges the right of any 13 person to seek its modification by the Court in the future. Any Party may, via a noticed motion or 14 noticed request to the Court, and for good cause shown, seek a modification of this Protective 15 Order. By agreeing to this Protective Order, no Party shall be deemed to have waived the right to 16 modifications later sought by the Party. Nothing in this Protective Order shall limit the Parties’ 17 ability to stipulate to the receipt of Protected Material by a particular individual, to the manner in 18 which an individual may receive such Material, or to modifications to deadlines required by this 19 Protective Order. 20 13.2 Right to Assert Other Objections. By stipulating to the entry of this Protective 21 Order, no Party waives any right it otherwise would have to object to disclosing or producing any 22 information or item on any ground not addressed in this Stipulated Protective Order. Similarly, no 23 Party waives any right to object on any ground to use in evidence of any of the material covered 24 by this Protective Order. 25 13.3 No Modification of Privileges. Nothing in this Order shall modify the law 26 regarding the attorney-client privilege, the attorney work product doctrine, the joint defense 27 privilege, and any other applicable privilege or reason for non-disclosure with respect to trade 1 secrets or other confidential research, development or commercial information to the extent such 2 privilege exists under applicable law. 3 13.4 Filing Protected Material. Without written permission from the Designating Party 4 or a Court order secured after appropriate notice to all interested persons, a Party may not file in 5 the public record in this Action any Protected Material. A Party that seeks to file under seal any 6 Protected Material must comply with Civil Local Rules and all General Orders. Protected Material 7 may only be filed under seal pursuant to a Court order authorizing the sealing of the specific 8 Protected Material at issue. Pursuant to Civil Local Rules 141, a sealing order will issue only upon 9 a request establishing that the Protected Material at issue is privileged, protectable as a trade 10 secret, or otherwise entitled to protection under the law. If a Receiving Party’s request to file 11 Protected Material under seal pursuant to Civil Local Rule 141 is denied by the Court, then the 12 Receiving Party may file the information in the public record unless otherwise instructed by the 13 Court. 14 13.5 Effective Date. This Protective Order shall be effective upon the date of execution 15 by both Parties, unless the Court orders otherwise. 16 14. FINAL DISPOSITION 17 Unless otherwise ordered or agreed in writing by the Producing Party, within sixty (60) 18 days after the final disposition of this Action, as defined in paragraph 4, above, each Receiving 19 Party must return all Protected Material to the Producing Party or destroy such material. As used 20 in this subdivision, “all Protected Material” includes all copies, abstracts, compilations, 21 summaries, and any other format reproducing or capturing any of the Protected Material. Whether 22 the Protected Material is returned or destroyed, the Receiving Party must submit a written 23 certification to the Producing Party (and, if not the same person or entity, to the Designating Party) 24 by the sixty (60) day deadline that (1) identifies (by category, where appropriate) all the Protected 25 Material that was returned or destroyed and (2) affirms that the Receiving Party has not retained 26 any copies, abstracts, compilations, summaries or any other format reproducing or capturing any 27 of the Protected Material. Notwithstanding this provision, Counsel is entitled to retain an archival 1 correspondence, deposition and trial exhibits, expert reports, attorney work product, and 2 consultant and expert work product, even if such materials contain Protected Material. Any such 3 archival copies that contain or constitute Protected Material remain subject to this Protective Order 4 as set forth in Paragraph 4 (DURATION), above. 5 IT IS SO STIPULATED, THROUGH COUNSEL OF RECORD. 6 Dated: November 4, 2025 FARELLA BRAUN + MARTEL LLP
8 By: /s/ Kevin L. Jones Kevin L. Jones 9 Attorneys for Defendant AMAZON.COM, INC. and 10 AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC
11 Dated: November 4, 2025 12
13 By: /s/ Michael Freiman Michael Freiman 14 Attorneys for Plaintiff 15 JAMES COPELAND 16 ATTESTATION 17 I attest that all other signatories listed, and on whose behalf the filing is submitted, concur 18 in the filing’s content and have authorized the filing. 19 Dated: November 4, 2025 FARELLA BRAUN + MARTEL LLP 20
21 By: /s/ Kevin L. Jones Kevin L. Jones 22 23 Attorneys for Defendant AMAZON.COM, INC. and AMAZON.COM SERVICES LLC 24 25 / / / 26 / / / 27 / / / 1 ORDER 2 GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, the Court hereby approves this Stipulated Protective Order 3 || with the additional clarification and order that once this action is closed, the court will not retain 4 || jurisdiction over enforcement of the terms of this discovery protective order. See L.R. 141.1(f). 6 || IT IS SO ORDERED. 7 / _ g [Dated __November 5, 2025 _ Ws JEREMY D. PETERSON 9 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
1 EXHIBIT A 2 ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND AGREEMENT TO BE BOUND 3 I, _______________________________[print or type full name], of 4 ___________________________________ [print or type full address], declare under penalty of 5 perjury that I have read in its entirety and understand the Stipulated Protective Order that was 6 issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California on [date] in the 7 case of Copeland v. Amazon.com, Inc. and Amazon.com Services LLC, United States District 8 Court, Eastern District of California, Case No. 2:25-cv-00445-JDP. I agree to comply with and to 9 be bound by all the terms of this Stipulated Protective Order and I understand and acknowledge 10 that failure to so comply could expose me to sanctions and punishment in the nature of contempt. I 11 solemnly promise that I will not disclose in any manner any information or item that is subject to 12 this Stipulated Protective Order to any person or entity except in strict compliance with the 13 provisions of this Order. 14 I further agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the 15 Eastern District of California for the purpose of enforcing the terms of this Stipulated Protective 16 Order, even if such enforcement proceedings occur after termination of this action. 17 I hereby appoint __________________ [print or type full name] of 18 ___________________________ [print or type full address and telephone number] as my 19 California agent for service of process in connection with this action or any proceedings related to 20 enforcement of this Stipulated Protective Order. 21 Date: _______________________ 22 City and State where sworn and signed: __________________________ 23 24 Printed name: __________________________ 25 26 Signature: _____________________________ 27