Can't Seal Lawsuit to Protect the Marketability of Your House
Lawsuits are matters of public record -- and you generally can't hide them from prospective business partners, employers, house buyers, or others.
Right of Access
Another Decision Against Sealing Records in Libel Cases
"The logical conclusion of Plaintiff's argument is that whenever someone sues for defamation because of potentially embarrassing comments, the plaintiff should be allowed to sue anonymously and with the case under seal."
Disclosure vs. Secrecy All the Way Down
An attempt to seal a key document in a libel / breach of contract case filed by a former communication strategist for Julian Assange against a former lawyer for Edward Snowden.
No Sealing of Business Details "Directly Relevant to the Heart of [a Civil] Case"
"If the Court sealed the disputed materials, it would essentially conceal the very mechanism that REA used to perpetuate the scheme, leaving the public with little more than the judgment itself to establish the existence of the scheme."
OK to Oppose Sealing of Court Documents Without Local Counsel
... if you're asserting your own rights of access (which all of us have) to court records.
"Right to Be Forgotten" as to Court Opinions Rejected …
... by a federal district court decision yesterday, in a case brought by a pro se litigant in New Jersey.
A Tip for People Who Seek to Seal Court Filings
Avoid motions "for Leave to File Under Seal Any and All Documents and Depositions Cited in Support of Any Motion, Response, Reply, or Appendix Filed by the Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant."
Employment Discrimination Plaintiff Can't Get Case Sealed After Settlement
Stephanie Gilliard argued "that offers of employment have been rescinded after Google searches of her name revealed the events of this case, namely her surreptitious recordings of her co-workers."
Doe v. Doe Libel Lawsuit Over Allegations of Sexual Misconduct by a Business Executive
Unsurprisingly, the exact allegations that are said to be libelous don't appear in the complaint.
Court Refuses to Issue Gag Order and Sealing Order in Sexual Harassment Suit Against YMCA of Pikes Peak
(Disclosure: I had filed an objection, on my own behalf, to the motion to seal.)
"Once the Cat Is Out of the Bag, the Ball Game Is Over."
More than just a mixed metaphor -- it's a legal doctrine.
Man Sues Anti-Homosexuality Group for Libel, Loses, Unsuccessfully Tries to Seal Court Opinions
The plaintiff had pleaded guilty to, among other things, having sex with a minor (apparently when he was 21 and the minor was 15); the alleged libel stemmed from, among other things, reports of that crime.
No Preliminary Injunction, No Pseudonymity, No Sealing in Internet Libel Case
That's what a New York trial court decision just posted online today held -- correctly, I think.
When Should Plaintiffs Be Able to Sue Anonymously?
(1) If they're alleging sexual abuse. (2) If they're alleging they were libeled as sexual abusers. (3) Both. (4) Neither.
Application to Release Grand Jury Material Quoted in Mueller Report
Since I've been blogging today about public rights of access to sealed files, I thought I'd pass this along.
