Patent opinions from the Eastern District of Texas and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Weekly Digest
E.D. Tex.

Palo alto Networks, Inc. v. Taasera Licensing LLC et al, No. 2:22-cv-00314 (E.D. Tex. June 24, 2022)

Granted
Court
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division
Case No.
No. 2:22-cv-00314, Dkt. No. 62
Decided
June 24, 2022
Judge
Edgardo Ramos, J.
Document
Order
Docket Entry
ORDER: granting 47 Letter Motion to Seal. The defendant Quest Patent Research Corporation's request for permission to file under seal an unredacted version of its motion to dismiss, supporting memorandum of law, and supporting declaration i…
Length
2 pages

www.tarterkrinsky.com

Figure on page 1 of the opinion

Mark J. Rosenberg

Partner 212-216-1127 mrosenberg@tarterkrinsky.com

June 23, 2022

The defendant Quest Patent Research Corporation's request for Via ECF permission to file under seal an unredacted version of its

motion to dismiss, supporting memorandum of law, and

Hon. Edgardo Ramos supporting declaration is GRANTED. It is SO ORDERED. United States District Court

Figure on page 1 of the opinion

Southern District of New York

40 Foley Square

June 24, 2022

New York, NY 10007

Re: Palo Alto Networks, Inc. v. Taasera Licensing LLC and Quest Patent Research

Corporation, No. 1:22-cv-02306-ER Motion to Seal Unredacted Version of Motion to Dismiss and Declaration

Dear Judge Ramos:

We represent Defendant Quest Patent Research Corporation (“Defendant”) in the above-referenced matter. Pursuant to Your Honor’s Individual Practice Rule 3.ii., Defendant respectfully requests permission to file under seal an unredacted version of the Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction, or in the Alternative, for Failure to State a Claim, supporting memorandum of law, and supporting Declaration of Jon C. Scahill.

Plaintiff filed this action on March 22, 2022, asserting declaratory judgment claims for, inter alia, non-infringement. (ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff then filed its First Amended Complaint (the “Complaint”), on May 14, 2022. (ECF No. 21). Defendant’s memorandum in support of its motion to dismiss and supporting declaration describes confidential business and agreement information, which will be redacted from the publicly filed versions. Filing an unsealed, unredacted version of the memorandum and declaration would disclose the information publicly, violating certain agreement confidentiality provisions.

In reviewing a motion to seal, courts consider three factors: (1) whether the document is a “judicial document”; (2) “the weight of the presumption of access to that document”; and (3) whether “the factors that legitimately counsel against disclosure of the judicial document” outweigh the presumption of access. Mirlis v. Greer, 952 F.3d 51, 59 (2d Cir. 2020); see also Lugosch v. Pyramid Co, of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110, 119 (2d Cir. 2006). One factor that weighs against disclosure is privacy interests, such as the “interest in protecting confidential business information.” Standard Inv. Chartered, Inc. v. Fin. Indus. Regulatory Auth., Ind., 347 F. App’x 615, 617 (2d Cir. 2009). This Court has sealed judicial documents where such confidential business2 Hon. Edgardo Ramos

June 23, 2022

Page 2

information would be disclosed. See, e.g., GoSMiLE, Inc. v. Dr. Jonathan Levine, D.M.D. P.C., 769 F. Supp. 2d 630, 649–50 (S.D.N.Y. 2011) (finding the “the privacy interests of the defendants outweigh the presumption of public access” for documents containing “highly proprietary material concerning the defendants’ marketing strategies, product development, costs and budgeting”); Living Abroad LLC v. World Trade Resource, Inc. et al., No. 7-18-cv-00595 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 23, 2018), ECF No. 4 (granting motion to seal agreements containing commercially sensitive information).

Here, the memorandum and declaration include confidential business and agreement information, and Defendant wishes to maintain the information as confidential. At the same time, Plaintiff would be prejudiced if it was unable to reference the information in bringing its declaratory judgment claims.

For the above reasons, Defendant respectfully requests that this motion to seal be granted.

Respectfully submitted,

Mark J. Rosenberg

cc: All Counsel of Record

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Palo alto Networks, Inc. v. Taasera Licensing LLC et al, No. 2:22-cv-00314 (E.D. Tex. June 24, 2022).

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