Judge: Thomas D. Long, Case: 24STCV17314, Date: 2024-12-17 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 24STCV17314    Hearing Date: December 17, 2024    Dept: 48

SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FOR THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES - CENTRAL DISTRICT

On July 12, 2024, Plaintiffs Amanda Ghost, Gregor Cameron, and Vince Holden field this action against Defendant Rebel Wilson.

On October 21, 2024, Defendant filed an anti-SLAPP motion.  On November 7, 2024, Plaintiffs filed a motion to seal portions of exhibits to their opposition.

The Court may order that a record be filed under seal only if it finds that (1) there is an overriding interest that overcomes the right of public access to the record, (2) the overriding interest supports sealing the record, (3) a substantial probability exists that the overriding interest will be prejudiced absent sealing, (4) the proposed sealing is narrowly tailored, and (5) no less restrictive means exists to achieve the overriding interest.  (California Rules of Court, rule 2.550(d).)  A motion seeking an order sealing records must be accompanied by a declaration containing facts sufficient to justify the sealing.  (California Rules of Court, rule 2.551(b)(1).)

A record must not be filed under seal without a court order, and a party requesting that a record be filed under seal must file a motion or an application for an order sealing the record.  (California Rules of Court, rule 2.551(a)-(b).)  The party requesting sealing must also file a public redacted version and lodge conditionally under seal with the court a complete, unredacted version.  (California Rules of Court, rule 2.551(b)(4)-(b)(5).)

Plaintiffs seeks to seal their Exhibits 2 and 9.  Declarations filed with the anti-SLAPP opposition describe these exhibits as a Co-Production Deal Memo and a Writer Agreement.  These exhibits contain confidential and commercially sensitive confidential, much of which was not necessary to resolve the anti-SLAPP motion.  (Vasquez Decl. ¶ 4.)

The Court finds that this confidentiality concern is an overriding interest that overcomes the right of public access to the record, the overriding interest supports sealing the record, and a substantial probability exists that the overriding interest will be prejudiced if the record is not sealed.  The proposed redaction of only the two exhibits is narrowly tailored, and there are no less restrictive means. 

The unopposed motion to seal is GRANTED.

Moving party to give notice.

Parties who intend to submit on this tentative must send an email to the Court at SMCDEPT48@lacourt.org indicating intention to submit.  If all parties in the case submit on the tentative ruling, no appearances before the Court are required unless a companion hearing (for example, a Case Management Conference) is also on calendar.

         Dated this 17th day of December 2024