Judge: Mark H. Epstein, Case: 23SMCV03486, Date: 2025-04-02 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23SMCV03486    Hearing Date: April 2, 2025    Dept: I

The court is inclined to GRANT the motion to place defendant’s address and contact information under seal.  Defendant is a participant in the “Safe at Home” program.  That is a program that allows qualifying individuals to be served at a location where they do not live so that their address and other information can remain confidential and they can avoid harassment by others.  The court notes that service to the Safe at Home address will constitute good service, so defendant will need to ensure that the site is monitored consistently.  The court does not believe that there is a need for a DOE designation, especially given that the case is almost 2 years old.  The court will not go back and redact two years of pleadings absent a more detailed showing, but from this point forward, contact information will be filed under seal if it must be filed, and defendant will be served at the Safe at Home address.  This is without prejudice to a better showing by the defense as to why that sort of action is required.  Right now, no details have been provided (and the court will allow any such showing to be made in camera rather than in the public file).  The Safe at Home address ought not to give others any location information—that is the point.