Local Rule 5005-20: DOCUMENTS FILED UNDER SEAL

Rule 5005-20 DOCUMENTS FILED UNDER SEAL

(a) Filing Users shall electronically file a motion to file documents under seal, accompanied by a proposed order. The Filing User shall attach a copy of the documents to be filed under seal that have been redacted in good faith to conceal Documents that contain confidential, scandalous, or defamatory matter. Upon filing the motion to seal, the moving party must hand deliver a copy of the motion to seal and the unredacted documents sought to be sealed in a secured envelope to the Clerk's Office. The envelope containing the documents shall be conspicuously marked "FILED UNDER PENDING MOTION TO SEAL" and stating the complete case number.shall be filed using docket events specified by the Clerk, and access to the documents shall be limited to parties authorized by the Judge. In the event the motion to file documents under seal is denied, the motion to seal documents and attachments, as well as any associated documents electronically filed by the movant, shall be made publicly accessible on the docket.

(b) A party who is not a Filing User shall file on paper a motion to file documents under seal. Accompanying the motion shall be a proposed order, an unredacted copy of the documents to be filed under seal, and a copy of the documents to be filed under seal that have been redacted in good faith to conceal confidential, scandalous, or defamatory matter. The motion, proposed order, unredacted copy of the documents, and a redacted copy of the documents shall be hand delivered in a single secured envelope to the Clerk's Office. The envelope containing the documents shall be conspicuously marked "FILED UNDER PENDING MOTION TO SEAL" and stating the complete case number and related documents containing confidential, scandalous, or defamatory matter. The document to be sealed shall be in a secured envelope. Affixed to the outside of the envelope shall be a statement containing a case caption, a case number, the nature of the document, and a notation that the document is being filed under seal.

(c) The motion to file documents under seal shall include a proposed order which grants the relief requested and further states: "The docket entry for the document(s) filed under seal shall describe the document(s) as follows: [Note: Filer to include a docket description for the sealed document.]" The docket entry for a sealed document shall describe the nature of the document filed without divulging confidential, scandalous, or defamatory information.

(dc) A motion to file documents under seal, and the redacted version of the documents to be filed under seal, shall be available for public review on the docket. unless it contains confidential, scandalous, or defamatory matter, in which case the motion itself shall be filed under seal.

(d) If a motion to file under seal is denied, the filer shall promptly contact the Clerk's Office and arrange to retrieve the unredacted version of the documents.

(e) The docket entry for a sealed document shall describe the nature of the document filed without divulging confidential, scandalous, or defamatory information.

(fe) If a motion to file under seal is granted, tThe Judge shall determine who shall scan the documents and enter it into the electronic filing system, as well as the parties that can view the sealed documentsit. Paper copies of documents submitted to the Court The document shall be destroyed after they are it is entered into the electronic filing system.

(gf) The filing party shall keep the original documents for a period of six (6) years from the date of submission.