R.M. v. New York State Office of Mental Health
R.M., by and through next friend Elfego Maldonado Estrada, and A.B., by and through next friend Kadijah Hutchinson-McLean v. New York State Office of Mental Health, et al.
- Alvin Hellerstein
- 1:25-cv-06667
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
R.M. v. New York State Office of Mental Health records plaintiffs’ request to seal exhibits, but Judge Hellerstein’s text shows no ruling.
The request concerns plaintiffs R.M. and A.B., other nonparty arrestees whose health information or identities could be revealed, the defendants’ access to the exhibits, and the public’s access to court materials.
What happened
In R.M., by and through next friend Elfego Maldonado Estrada, and A.B., by and through next friend Kadijah Hutchinson-McLean v. New York State Office of Mental Health, et al., the plaintiffs’ lawyers asked the court to seal exhibits filed with their request for a preliminary injunction.
The exhibits reportedly include mental-health records, clinical notes, commitment orders, hearing transcripts, and emails that could identify the plaintiffs and other people who were arrested. The plaintiffs asked that the materials be available only to them and the court, while stating that they would provide copies to the defendants after a protective order was entered.
The text identifies Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, but it is a letter from the plaintiffs’ lawyers rather than a court ruling. It does not show whether Judge Hellerstein granted, denied, or otherwise resolved the request.
The detailed version
- R.M. v. New York State Office of Mental Health · No. 1:25-cv-06667
- Alvin Hellerstein
- Nov. 10, 2025
Document and posture
The provided text is an August 28, 2025 letter from counsel for plaintiffs R.M. and A.B. It asks Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein for permission to file certain exhibits under seal in connection with the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The text does not contain a court order or a ruling on the request.
Materials plaintiffs sought to seal
The requested exhibits include psychological reports, clinician notes, and emails concerning the mental-health diagnoses and incarceration statuses of the plaintiffs and other nonparty arrestees. They also include commitment orders under Section 730, hearing transcripts, and emails from Legal Aid Society attorneys concerning clients’ whereabouts. The letter states that some documents would reveal the identities of nonparties whose health information was presented anonymously in the motion. It also states that three exhibits identify and provide health information about the plaintiffs and had already been filed under seal.
Plaintiffs’ request and stated reasons
Plaintiffs asked that the exhibits be viewable only by the plaintiffs and the court, rather than by the defendants or the public. They stated that copies would be provided to defendants after the parties signed and the court entered a protective order. Plaintiffs argued that sealing was needed to protect the privacy of nonparty arrestees and to prevent possible harassment, retaliation, and social stigma resulting from disclosure of sensitive health information.
Disposition
The provided text does not state that Judge Hellerstein granted, denied, or otherwise decided the sealing request. Accordingly, no ruling on the request can be identified from this text.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.