Opinion
CR22-001 TL
01-17-2023
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff, v. SHABNAM DAWN PILISUK, Defendant.
ORDER ON MOTION TO SEAL MOTION TO ADMIT EVIDENCE UNDER RULES 404(B) AND 414
Tana Lin United States District Judge
This matter comes before the Court on the Government's motion to seal (Dkt. No. 54) its motion to admit evidence under Federal Rules of Evidence 404(b) and 414 (Dkt. No. 55).
The Local Criminal Rules set forth requirements for motions to seal materials that are not explicitly mandated to be filed under seal. See CrR 55. Motions to seal in criminal cases must “set forth a specific statement of the applicable legal standard and the reasons for keeping a document under seal, with evidentiary support from declarations when necessary.” Id. 55(c).
Unlike the Government's prior motion to seal (Dkt. No. 60), the information at issue here is not as clearly similar to items required to be filed under seal under the Local Criminal Rules. See CrR 55(b). The sole reason the Government has furnished for requesting the sealing of its motion is that “it contains sensitive information.” Dkt. No. 54. The Government's motion to seal does not set forth the applicable legal standard, nor does it provide any explanation of what makes the information contained in the motion “sensitive.” See id.
Therefore, the Court DENIES the motion to seal (Dkt. No. 54) WITHOUT PREJUDICE. The Government may file a corrected motion compliant with this Order within three (3) days ( i.e. , by January 19, 2023). The filing at issue SHALL REMAIN UNDER SEAL pending further rulings from this Court.