`Case 1:20-cv-00393-LO-TCB Document 705 Filed 06/10/21 Page 1 of 4 PageID# 17142
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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA
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`Alexandria Division
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`) Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-393 (LO/TCB)
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`ORDER
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`RAI STRATEGIC HOLDINGS, INC.,
`et al.,
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`Plaintiffs,
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`v.
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`ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES LLC,
`et al. ,
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`Defendants.
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`This matter comes before the Court on Plaintiffs RAI Strategic Holdings, Inc. and R.J.
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`Reynolds Vapor Company’s (“Plaintiffs”) Motion to Seal (Dkt. 684) and supporting
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`memorandum (Dkt. 687). Plaintiffs request to file under seal an un-redacted version of their
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`Brief in Support of their Partial Motion for Summary Judgment (“Brief”) and accompanying
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`exhibits B, C, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, and S. (Dkt. 686.) Pursuant to Local Civil Rule
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`5(C), Defendants Altria Client Services LLC, Philip Morris USA Inc., and Philip Morris
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`Products S.A. (“Defendants”) replied (Dkt. 704) in support of Plaintiffs’ Motion. See L. Civ. R.
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`5(C).
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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.” Ashcrafi v. Conoco, Inc., 218 F.3d 288, 302 (4th Cir. 2000).
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`Procedurally, a district court may seal court filings if it (1) “provide[s] public notice of the
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`request to seal and allow[s] interested parties a reasonable opportunity to object, (2) consider[s]
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`less drastic alternatives to sealing the documents, and (3) provide[s] specific reasons and factual
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`findings supporting its decision to seal the documents and for rejecting the alternatives.” Id.
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`Upon consideration of the parties’ filings, the Court makes the following findings.
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`First, Plaintiffs have provided public notice of their request to seal and interested parties
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`have been given a reasonable opportunity to object. Plaintiffs filed their motion to seal and
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`public notice on June 2, 2021. (See Dkts. 684, 685.) Because over seven days have elapsed since
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`Plaintiffs filed the motion to seal and public notice, and no interested patty has objected, the
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`Court may treat this motion as uncontested under Local Civil Rule 5(C). See L. Civ. R. 5(C).
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`Accordingly, Plaintiffs have satisfied this requirement under Ashcraft and the Local Civil Rules.
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`Second, this Court has considered less drastic alternatives. Plaintiffs submitted a redacted
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`version of their Brief. (Dkt. 690.) This selective protection of information constitutes the least
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`drastic measure of sealing confidential material. See Adams v. Object Innovation, Inc., No.
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`3:1 lcv272-REP-DWD, 2011 WL 7042224, at *4 (ED. Va. Dec. 5, 2011) “[The] proposal to
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`redact only the proprietary and confidential information, rather than seal the entirety of [the
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`document], constitutes the least drastic method of shielding the information at issue”), report
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`and recommendation adopted, 2012 WL 135428 (ED. Va. Jan. 17, 2012).
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`Finally, the Court finds reason to seal the redacted portions of Plaintiffs’ Brief and
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`Exhibits B, C, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, and S. The redacted portions contain the parties’
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`confidential and proprietary information. Additionally, the Exhibits contain expert reports,
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`interrogatories, and testimony concerning the parties’ confidential technical documents. This
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`information is protected under the parties’ stipulated protective order and its public disclosure
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`could bring competitive harm to Plaintiffs, Defendants, and third parties.
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`Isl
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`sa Carroll Buchanan
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`A ROLL BU HANAN
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`UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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`Accordingly, it is hereby
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`ORDERED that Plaintiffs‘ motion to seal (Dkt. 684) is GRANTED. Docket number 686
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`shall remain permanently under seal.
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`ENTERED this 10th day of June, 2021.
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`Alexandria, Virginia
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`La.)
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