Jones v. County of Westchester

Background

Defendants requested permission to file certain exhibits supporting their forthcoming motion for summary judgment under seal. Filing documents under seal restricts public access to them. The plaintiff, through counsel, consented to the request.

The case involves claims that plaintiff D.J. was deprived of an education while in the care and custody of the Westchester County Department of Social Services. The requested exhibits fell into three categories: Department of Social Services records, educational records, and Family Court records.

Reasoning in the Request

The request stated that these records are generally confidential under applicable law. It identified information about D.J.’s diagnoses, medications, treatment observations, family relationships, foster families, and educational evaluations concerning her mental and physical capacity and needs. The request also cited privacy interests belonging to D.J. and third parties, including siblings who were still minors.

The request relied on the principle that courts should consider whether the information is traditionally private rather than public. It cited authorities concerning the confidentiality of child-welfare records, Family Court records, and education records.

Ruling

The court granted defendants’ request to seal certain exhibits. Judge Roman directed the Clerk of Court to terminate the motion at ECF No. 231. The order addressed access to the exhibits only; it did not rule on the merits of the claims or on defendants’ anticipated motion for summary judgment.