Lawson v. Paramount Global and Black Entertainment Television LLC

Background

Defendants Paramount Global and Black Entertainment Television LLC asked the court for permission to redact information from the parties’ letter motions at ECF Nos. 46 and 47 and their exhibits. The materials concerned, among other things, whether Fania N. Washington, Senior Vice President, Employment Law, acted as a fact-finder and investigated Plaintiff Keith Lawson.

Requested Redactions

The defendants sought permission to redact:

- Names and other identifying information about third parties, including an actress involved in sexual-harassment allegations, as well as a photograph showing part of the actress’s body in a bikini; - The name of a BET client connected to events on a business trip; - Cell phone numbers, home addresses, and similar personally identifiable information; and - Lawson’s salary and incentive compensation information in his employment agreement.

The defendants argued that the information was private or sensitive, was not relevant to the relief requested in the letter motions, or could create competitive harm. The opinion states that Lawson did not object to the requested relief.

Ruling

Judge Dale E. Ho granted the application. The court found that the proposed redactions were narrowly tailored to overcome the presumption that judicial documents should be publicly accessible. The court directed the Clerk of Court to terminate ECF No. 49.