Better Holdco, Inc. v. Beeline Loans, Inc.

Background

Plaintiff Better Holdco, Inc. asked for permission to seal or redact documents filed in connection with its motion to exclude or strike the opinions of Beeline Loans, Inc.’s proposed experts. The request concerned materials covered by an amended protective order and materials that Better said contained confidential business information.

The requested information

Better identified confidential financial information, including information from its operating model, profits, losses, operating costs, and employee salaries. It also identified agreements with five marketing partners containing nonpublic pricing and other negotiated terms, as well as information about marketing strategies and costs.

Better separately asked to file Exhibit 28 to the declaration of Beaumont under seal because Beeline had designated it as confidential discovery material. Better also sought redactions in the Holzen Report and in its supporting memorandum where those materials quoted or referred to information designated confidential by Beeline. The opinion states that Beeline withdrew some confidentiality designations but declined to change the designations at issue; Better took no position on whether those materials needed to be sealed and reserved the right to challenge the designations.

Ruling

The court granted plaintiff’s request. Judge John P. Cronan ordered Better to file the unredacted versions of its memorandum supporting the motion to exclude or strike and Exhibits 3, 4, 6, 7, and 30 to the Beaumont Declaration under seal. The court also ordered Better to refile Exhibit 28 to the Beaumont Declaration, previously identified as Docket Number 195, under seal. The opinion does not rule on the underlying motion to exclude or strike the expert opinions.