Sealed Events

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CRIMINAL SEALED EVENT - SEALED BRIEF (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED) / SEALED DOCUMENT (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED)
 

In some instances, a judge may specifically grant (either verbally or in writing) permission to file a DOCUMENT or BRIEF under seal, for example, Memo in Support, Responses and Replies, etc.

The SEALED BRIEF allows the filer to link to a previous filing, such as a motion or an opposition. The SEALED DOCUMENT does not link to an existing filing.

Event Selection – SEALED BRIEF (Prior Leave Granted) - Choose the CRIMINAL menu. Under the “Documents in Support of a Motion” category or under the “Responses and Replies” category, select the event titled “SEALED BRIEF (Prior Leave Granted).”

Event Selection – SEALED DOCUMENT (Prior Leave Granted) - Choose the CRIMINAL menu. Under the “Other Documents”, “Other Filings” category, select the event titled “SEALED DOCUMENT (Prior Leave Granted).”

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire DOCKET ENTRY is sealed. Only court users with sealed access will be able to read the docket text.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED brief or document and any ATTACHED documents will be SEALED. Neither the filing attorney, opposing counsel, case participants, nor the public, will have any access to view the SEALED documents.

NEF Notification – Since the entire event is SEALED, CM/ECF will not generate an NEF.

Service - If the document is served on other counsel, the filing attorney must provide conventional service and indicate on the certificate of service how the document was served.

CRIMINAL SEALED EVENT - SEALED MOTION (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED)

While extremely rare, in some instances a judge may specifically grant (either verbally or in writing), possibly in a minute entry, permission to file a MOTION under seal.

Event Selection - The filer already has prior leave of court granted to file the motion; therefore, the filer will choose the CRIMINAL menu, MOTION category, then select the event titled “Sealed Motion.”

Additional Attachments – Any documents in support of the sealed motion such as a memo in support or exhibits are to be included as PDF attachments to the motion.

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire DOCKET ENTRY is sealed. Only court users with sealed access will be able to read the docket text.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED motion and any ATTACHED documents will be SEALED. Only court users with sealed access will be able to open the PDF documents.

NEF Notification – Since the entire event is SEALED, CM/ECF will not generate an NEF.

Service - If the document is served on other counsel, the filing attorney must provide conventional service and indicate on the certificate of service how the document was served.

CRIMINAL SEALED EVENT - SEALED MOTION FOR LEAVE TO FILE DOCUMENT UNDER SEAL

Typically the filer must have leave of court to file any type of sealed document.

Event Selection – Choose the CRIMINAL menu. Under the MOTION category, select the event titled “SEALED MOTION for Leave to File Document Under Seal.”

Additional Attachments - Since the judge will want to review the document(s) requiring sealing before ruling on the motion, the filer should include those documents as PDF attachments to motion for leave to file document under seal.

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire DOCKET ENTRY is sealed. Only court users with sealed access will be able to read the docket text.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED motion and ATTACHED document(s) will be SEALED. Neither the filing attorney, opposing counsel, case participants, nor the public, will have any access to view the SEALED documents.

NEF Notification – Since the entire event is SEALED, CM/ECF will not generate an NEF.

Service – If the document is served on other counsel, the filing attorney must provide conventional service and indicate on the certificate of service how the document was served.

Order Granted - If the court grants the motion, no further action by the filing attorney is required. The clerk will file the submitted document(s) under seal as ordered, and the clerk will provide conventional service of the order by mail.

CIVIL SEALED EVENT - SEALED BRIEF (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED) / SEALED DOCUMENT (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED)

In some instances, a judge may specifically grant (either verbally or in writing) permission to file a DOCUMENT or BRIEF under seal, for example, Memo in Support, Responses and Replies, etc.

The SEALED BRIEF (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED) allows the filer to link to a previous filing, such as a motion or an opposition. The SEALED DOCUMENT (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED) does not link to an existing filing.

Event Selection – SEALED BRIEF (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED) - Choose the CIVIL menu. Under the “Documents in Support of Motions” category, or under the “Responses and Replies” category, select the event titled “SEALED BRIEF (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED.”

Event Selection – SEALED DOCUMENT (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED)- Choose the CIVIL menu. Under the “Other Documents”, “Other Filings” category, select the event titled “SEALED DOCUMENT (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED).”

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire text of the DOCKET ENTRY will be publicly viewable. All users, including court users, attorneys, and the public will be able to read the text of the docket entry. The docket entry text is NOT sealed with this event; therefore, attorneys should use caution entering docket sheet text in the free text box.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED brief or document and any ATTACHED documents will be SEALED. Neither the filing attorney, opposing counsel, case participants, nor the public, will have any access to view the SEALED documents.

NEF Notification – An NEF containing all of the docket text will be emailed to the case participants; however, it will not contain a link to the SEALED PDF documents.

CIVIL SEALED EVENT - SEALED MOTION (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED)

In some instances, a judge may specifically grant (either verbally or in writing) permission to file a MOTION under seal, for example, a Protective Order. If the filer already has prior leave of court granted to file the motion, the filer may directly file the sealed motion without asking for leave.

Event Selection -Choose the CIVIL menu. Under the MOTION category, select the event titled “Sealed Motion (PRIOR LEAVE GRANTED).”

Additional Attachments – Any documents in support of the sealed motion such as a memo in support or exhibits are to be included as PDF attachments to the motion.

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire text of the DOCKET ENTRY will be publicly viewable. All users, including court users, attorneys, and the public will be able to read the text of the docket entry. The docket entry text is NOT sealed with this event; therefore, attorneys should use caution entering docket sheet text in the free text box.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED motion and ATTACHED documents will be SEALED. Neither the filing attorney, opposing counsel, case participants, nor the public, will have any access to view the SEALED documents.

NEF Notification – An NEF containing all of the docket text will be emailed to the case participants; however, it will not contain a link to the SEALED PDF documents.

Service - the filing attorney must provide conventional service to counsel and indicate on the certificate of service how the document was served.

CIVIL SEALED EVENT - LEAVE TO FILE UNDER SEAL

Typically the filer must have leave of court to file any type of sealed document.

Event Selection – Choose the CIVIL menu. Under the MOTION category, select the event titled “Leave to File Document Under Seal.”

Additional Attachments - Since the judge will want to review the document(s) requiring sealing before ruling on the motion, the filer should include those documents as PDF attachments to motion for leave to file document under seal.

Event Characteristics:

Docket Text - The entire text of the DOCKET ENTRY will be publicly viewable. All users, including court users, attorneys, and the public will be able to read the text of the docket entry. The docket entry text is NOT sealed with this event; therefore, attorneys should use caution entering docket sheet text in the free text box.

PDF Documents - The UPLOADED motion and ATTACHED document(s) will be SEALED. Neither the filing attorney, opposing counsel, case participants, nor the public, will have any access to view the SEALED documents.

NEF Notification – An NEF containing all of the docket text will be emailed to the case participants; however, it will not contain a link to the SEALED PDF documents.

Service - the filing attorney must provide conventional service to counsel and indicate on the certificate of service how the document was served.

Order Granted - If the court grants the motion, no further action by the filing attorney is required. The clerk will file the submitted document(s) under seal as ordered, and case participants will receive NEF notification (civil cases only) and receive a copy of the ORDER by mail.