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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
`Alexandria Division
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`RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC. and
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`R.J. REYNOLDS VAPOR COMPANY,
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`Plaintiffs/Counterclaim
`)
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`Defendants,
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`
`) Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-393 (LO/TCB)
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`v.
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`)
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`ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC; PHILIP )
`MORRIS USA INC. and PHILIP MORRIS )
`PRODUCTS S.A.,
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`)
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`Defendants/Counterclaim )
`Plaintiffs
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` )
`______________________________________ )
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`ORDER
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`This matter is before the Court on the parties’ Joint Motion to Redact Portions of the
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`March 18, 2022 Hearing Transcript and supporting memorandum. (Dkts. 1178, 1179.) The
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`parties request leave to redact certain portions of the transcript of the hearing held before the
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`Court on March 18, 2022. The redactions proposed in exhibit A to the supporting memorandum
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`reflect confidential business information under the protective order. (Dkt. 1179-1.)
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`District courts have authority to seal court documents “if the public’s right of access is
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`outweighed by competing interests.” Ashcraft v. Conoco, Inc., 218 F.3d 288, 302 (4th Cir. 2000).
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`This Court has considered less drastic alternatives in redacting the transcript. This selective
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`protection of information constitutes the least drastic measure of sealing confidential material.
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`See Adams v. Object Innovation, Inc., No. 3:11cv272-REP-DWD, 2011 WL 7042224, at *4
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`(E.D. Va. Dec. 5, 2011) “[The] proposal to redact only the proprietary and confidential
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`information, rather than seal the entirety of [the document], constitutes the least drastic method
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`Case 1:20-cv-00393-LO-TCB Document 1183 Filed 04/06/22 Page 2 of 2 PageID# 31429
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`of shielding the information at issue.”), report and recommendation adopted, 2012 WL 135428
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`(E.D. Va. Jan. 17, 2012).
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`Finally, the Court finds reason to seal the unredacted transcript. The public has no
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`legitimate interest in information that is confidential to the parties. See id. (“[T]here is no
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`legitimate public interest in disclosing the proprietary and confidential information of [the
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`defendant] . . . and disclosure to the public could result in significant damage to the company.”).
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`The information that the parties seek to redact includes confidential, proprietary, and
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`competitively sensitive business information of the parties and/or third parties, each of which
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`could face harm if such information were released publicly.
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`Accordingly, it is hereby
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`ORDERED that the parties’ motion (Dkt. 1178) is GRANTED; and it is further
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`ORDERED that the March 18, 2022 hearing transcript be filed under seal; and it is
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`further
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`ORDERED that the parties file on the public docket a redacted copy of the transcript as
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`proposed in Exhibit A. (Dkt. 1179-1.)
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`ENTERED this 6th day of April, 2021.
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`/s/
`THERESA CARROLL BUCHANAN
`UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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`Alexandria, Virginia
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