Judge: Andrew E. Cooper, Case: 24CHCP00348, Date: 2025-02-05 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24CHCP00348    Hearing Date: February 5, 2025    Dept: F51

Dept. F-51¿¿ 

Date: 2/5/24 

Case #24CHCP00348

LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT

NORTH VALLEY DISTRICT

DEPARTMENT F-51

MOTION TO SEAL

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Motion Filed: 1/14/25

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MOVING PARTY: Petitioner Oakview Partners, LLC (“Petitioner”)¿

RESPONDING PARTY: None

NOTICE: OK¿

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RELIEF REQUESTED: An order sealing Petitioner’s First Amended Petition for Approval of Transfer of Structured Settlement Payment Rights.

TENTATIVE RULING: The unopposed motion is granted.

BACKGROUND¿ 

On 9/4/24, Petitioner filed a Petition for Approval of Transfer of Structured Settlement Payment Rights. On 1/14/25, Petitioner filed its First Amended Petition, and the instant motion to seal. No opposition has been filed to date.

ANALYSIS

A party that requests that a record or portion of a record be filed under seal must file a motion or an application for an order sealing it, which must be accompanied by a supporting memorandum and a declaration containing facts sufficient to justify the sealing. (Cal. Rules of Ct., rule 2.551(b)(1).) A copy of the motion or application to seal must be served on all parties that have appeared in the case. Unless the judge orders otherwise, any party that already has access to the records to be placed under seal must be served with a complete, unredacted copy of all papers as well as a redacted version. (Id., subd. (b)(2).) Other parties must be served with only the public redacted version. The moving party must lodge the record with the court when the motion or application is made, unless good cause is shown for not lodging it or it has been lodged previously. The lodged record is conditionally under seal pending the judge’s determination of the motion or application. (Cal. Rules of Ct., rule 2.551(b)(4).)

Here, the instant motion is accompanied by a supporting memorandum of points and authorities in addition to Petitioner’s counsel’s declaration, stating that “First, the Material contains confidential financial information regarding the Payee that would make the Payee more susceptible to scammers and identity thieves. Secondly, the proposed sealing is narrowly tailored, and there is no less restrictive means to protect the proprietary and sensitive nature of the Material.” (Mot. 2:9–12.) “Here, because O.B. the underlying settlement is highly sensitive, and portions of the underlying settlement agreement have been sealed by another court, there is clearly an interest that overcomes the public right of access that allows this Court to issue an order permitting OAKVIEW PARTNERS to file its Petition under seal.” (Id. at 3:15–18.) “Further, all of the documents have previously been submitted to all interested parties.” (Id. at 2:13.)

Based on the foregoing, the Court grants Petitioner’s unopposed motion.

CONCLUSION¿ 

The unopposed motion is granted.