In Chenault v. Randstad USA Mfg. & Logistics, No. 5:18-CV-276-KKC, 2018 WL 3964811 (E.D. Ky. August 17, 2018), Mr. Chenault represented himself in an action he brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, successfully as it turned out. Mr. Chenault made other claims, not so successfully as it turned out, all of which were dismissed.
Chenault also filed what he called a "Motion to Facilitate Settlement." He attached what the judge described as "the settlement offer" and as "the settlement letter." This letter apparently contained a settlement offer from the defendants.
The defendants were, in turn, apparently agitated by the filing of their settlement offer in open Court. They asked the judge to seal the letter which, as noted, Mr. Chenault had attached as an exhibit to his settlement motion.
The judge did so, and ordered the parties to contact the Magistrate Judge for a settlement conference.
The reason that the judge gave for sealing the "settlement letter" in this case was not so pedestrian as it may appear at first glance. In truth, it was revealing of how the law treats settlement negotiations as something only slightly short of sacrosanct. She ruled:
Because “[t]here exists a strong public interest in favor of secrecy of matters discussed by parties during settlement negotiations,” the Court will Order the Clerk of the Court to place the settlement letter under seal in order to preserve the record. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. v. Chiles Power Supply, Inc., 332 F.3d 976, 980 (6th Cir. 2003). The Court will not consider the settlement letter for any purpose.
Chenault v. Randstad USA Mfg. & Logistics, No. 5:18-CV-276-KKC, 2018 WL 3964811, at *2 (E.D. Ky. August 17, 2018) (emphasis added).
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