Goolden v. Wardak
- Andrew Carter
- 1:19-cv-06257
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 1
In Goolden v. Wardak, Judge Carter granted a request to seal counsel’s declaration about attorney-client communications.
Hamed Wardak, his outgoing counsel, and people seeking access to the sealed declaration.
What happened
Goolden v. Wardak and Wardak v. Goolden involved a request by Hamed Wardak’s lawyer to seal a declaration filed in connection with counsel’s planned withdrawal from the case.
The lawyer said the declaration discussed a conflict with Wardak and attorney-client communications. The lawyer asked the court to protect confidential information.
Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. granted the request to seal the declaration, retroactively, and directed the Clerk of Court to terminate another listed filing.
The detailed version
- Goolden v. Wardak · No. 1:19-cv-06257
- Andrew Carter
- Sept. 13, 2022
Background
Counsel of record for Defendant/Counterclaim-Plaintiff Hamed Wardak submitted a letter motion asking the court to seal a declaration by Rhett O. Millsaps II dated July 25, 2022. The letter was filed at the same time as a motion seeking permission for the law firm to withdraw as counsel.
Request to Seal
The letter stated that the declaration contained information about a conflict between the law firm and Wardak and described attorney-client communications concerning the case. Counsel asked the court to seal the declaration to protect sensitive information and preserve any remaining confidentiality in the attorney-client relationship. The request identified the filing as ECF No. 160.
Ruling
The court granted the request to seal ECF No. 160 nunc pro tunc, meaning the sealing order applied retroactively. The order also directed the Clerk of Court to terminate ECF No. 159. Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr. did not decide the underlying dispute between Goolden and Wardak in this order.
Read the full 1-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.