Amalgamated Bank v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Background

Amalgamated Bank asked the court to seal specific personal identifying information concerning Armon Warren and confidential materials referenced in its motion for default judgment. The requested materials included several exhibits attached to declarations and an affirmation supporting that motion. Amalgamated also asked for permission to file an unredacted version of the default-judgment motion under seal while filing a redacted version publicly.

Amalgamated stated that the requested materials included a settlement agreement and general release involving Amalgamated and a union that was not a party to the dispute. It also said that JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. had designated certain documents as confidential under the case's confidentiality stipulation and protective order, including documents containing Warren's personal information and other exhibits needed for the default-judgment motion.

Ruling

The court granted the motion to seal temporarily. It stated that it would assess whether to keep the documents sealed or redacted when resolving the underlying dispute. The Clerk of Court was directed to terminate ECF Nos. 50 and 51. The order therefore did not make a final determination about whether the materials would remain sealed.

The letter accompanying the request cited the presumption that court records are publicly accessible and the need to balance that presumption against the interests supporting secrecy. It also noted that the court had previously granted Amalgamated's request to seal certain documents containing Warren's personal information.

Effect

The requested documents were temporarily kept from public access, subject to the court's later decision. The order concerned the sealing request and did not decide the merits of the underlying default-judgment dispute.