Hybrid Audio, LLC v. ASUS Computer International, Inc.
- James Donato
- 3:17-cv-05947
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 1
In Hybrid Audio v. ASUS, Judge Donato granted the joint motion to seal exhibits and briefing related to summary judgment.
The parties, non-party RPX Corporation, and the public’s access to the identified exhibits and summary-judgment briefing were affected. The order also concerned personal information and licensing and other rights information described in the motion.
What happened
Hybrid Audio, LLC v. ASUS Computer International, Inc. involved a joint request by the parties and non-party RPX Corporation to keep certain exhibits and briefing related to summary judgment from public view.
The court found that the request identified specific personal information and licensing and other rights information whose disclosure could cause competitive harm in negotiations. It concluded that these reasons outweighed the public’s general right of access and granted the motion.
Judge James Donato issued the order on November 19, 2021. The order does not identify the particular documents or portions that were sealed in the excerpt provided.
The detailed version
- Hybrid Audio, LLC v. ASUS Computer International, Inc. · No. 3:17-cv-05947
- James Donato
- Nov. 19, 2021
Background
The parties and non-party RPX Corporation filed a joint motion to seal exhibits and briefing related to summary judgment. The motion was a resubmission of earlier sealing motions that the court had found overbroad and noncompliant with the filing and formatting requirements of Civil Local Rule 79-5(d)(1) and the court’s standing order.
Court’s analysis
For documents filed in connection with summary judgment, the court required the parties to provide compelling reasons supported by specific facts to overcome the general public-access policy favoring disclosure. The court found that the parties met that burden. For each document, they identified facts showing that the proposed redactions and sealed portions concerned individuals’ personal information and information about the scope of licensing and other rights. The court found that disclosure of the latter information would cause competitive harm in negotiations.
Disposition
Judge James Donato granted the joint motion to file under seal. The excerpt does not specify the individual documents or portions that were sealed.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.