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Document 242

AI Analysis

Summary: The court grants Ghislaine Maxwell's request to redact parts of her response to a court order, citing the need to protect the privacy interests of defense lawyers' clients and comply with professional obligations. The court applies the three-part test from Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga to reach this decision. Maxwell is ordered to docket the redacted version and the basis for the redaction request.
Significance: This document is significant because it reveals the court's reasoning for allowing redactions to Ghislaine Maxwell's court filing, balancing the presumption of access against privacy interests and professional obligations.
Key Topics: Ghislaine Maxwell's response to court order Redactions to court filing Presumption of access to judicial documents
Key People:
  • Ghislaine Maxwell - Defendant
  • Alison J. Nathan - United States District Judge

Full Text

Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 242 Filed 04/23/21 Page 1 of 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK United States of America, -v- Ghislaine Maxwell, Defendant. 20-CR-330 (AJN) ORDER ALISON J. NATHAN, District Judge: On April 22, 2021, Defendant Ghislaine Maxwell filed her response to the Court's April 21, 2021 Order, Dkt. No. 221, under temporary seal with proposed redactions. The proposed redactions are GRANTED. The Court's conclusion is guided by the three-part test articulated by the Second Circuit in Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006). Under this test, the Court must: (i) determine whether the documents in question are "judicial documents;" (ii) assess the weight of the common law presumption of access to the materials; and (iii) balance competing considerations against the presumption of access. Id. at 119-20. The Court concludes that these are judicial documents and that the First Amendment and common law presumptions of access attach. In balancing competing considerations against the presumption of access, however, the Court finds that the proposed redactions are narrowly tailored to protect the privacy interests of defense lawyers' clients in other matters and to allow defense counsel to comply with their professional obligations under the rules of professional conduct. The Defendant is ORDERED to docket the redacted version of her letter by April 23, 2021. The Defendant is further ORDERED to docket the basis for the redaction request, originally sent by email, on ECF by April 23, 2021. DOJ-OGR-00003965 --- PAGE BREAK --- Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 242 Filed 04/23/21 Page 2 of 2 SO ORDERED. Dated: April 23, 2021 New York, New York ALISON J. NATHAN United States District Judge DOJ-OGR-00003966

Individual Pages

Page 1 of 2 - DOJ-OGR-00003965
Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 242 Filed 04/23/21 Page 1 of 2 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK United States of America, -v- Ghislaine Maxwell, Defendant. 20-CR-330 (AJN) ORDER ALISON J. NATHAN, District Judge: On April 22, 2021, Defendant Ghislaine Maxwell filed her response to the Court's April 21, 2021 Order, Dkt. No. 221, under temporary seal with proposed redactions. The proposed redactions are GRANTED. The Court's conclusion is guided by the three-part test articulated by the Second Circuit in Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006). Under this test, the Court must: (i) determine whether the documents in question are "judicial documents;" (ii) assess the weight of the common law presumption of access to the materials; and (iii) balance competing considerations against the presumption of access. Id. at 119-20. The Court concludes that these are judicial documents and that the First Amendment and common law presumptions of access attach. In balancing competing considerations against the presumption of access, however, the Court finds that the proposed redactions are narrowly tailored to protect the privacy interests of defense lawyers' clients in other matters and to allow defense counsel to comply with their professional obligations under the rules of professional conduct. The Defendant is ORDERED to docket the redacted version of her letter by April 23, 2021. The Defendant is further ORDERED to docket the basis for the redaction request, originally sent by email, on ECF by April 23, 2021. DOJ-OGR-00003965
Page 2 of 2 - DOJ-OGR-00003966
Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 242 Filed 04/23/21 Page 2 of 2 SO ORDERED. Dated: April 23, 2021 New York, New York ALISON J. NATHAN United States District Judge DOJ-OGR-00003966