Judge Completely Grants Ripple Recent Request But Denies SEC Motion In Part 

Judge Torres has issued an order on the parties’ requests to seal certain documents in connection with the expert challenges.

Judge Analisa Torres, the presiding Judge of the Ripple vs. SEC lawsuit, has issued an order regarding the parties’ request to seal documents in connection with the expert challenges, also referred to as Daubert motions.

Ripple and SEC Sealing Requests

In August, the parties requested to seal certain documents submitted in connection with their respective Daubert motions. While the SEC claimed that its request was necessary to protect the identities of its expert witnesses, Ripple stated that its sealing motion would protect its highly confidential business information and the legitimate privacy interests of third parties.

Furthermore, MoneyGram and an unidentified third party also moved to redact portions of certain documents submitted in connection to the parties’ Daubert motions to protect their private interest and confidential business information.

According to an order yesterday, Judge Torres granted Ripple and non-parties motion to seal and redact certain information contained in some Daubert motions’ documents. However, the presiding Judge granted in part and denied in part the SEC’s motion to seal.

“For the reasons stated below, the SEC’s motions are GRANTED in part and DENIED in part, Defendants’ motions are GRANTED, and the non-parties motions are GRANTED,” the order read.

Why Judge Torres Denied SEC’s Motion In Part

The Securities and Exchange Commission had previously requested to redact the experts’ names, contact information, employment history, publications, etc. Furthermore, the SEC asked the court to redact the consulting expert firms that assisted the experts in drafting the reports.

While Judge Torres agrees that publicly disseminating information about the SEC’s expert may increase the likelihood of threatening behavior, she does not think publishing the names of the consulting firms that assisted the experts poses any form of risk.

Judge Torres added that the SEC did not adequately justify the sealing of the consulting firms that aided the experts.

“Accordingly, the Court DENIES the SEC’s request to redact the names of the consulting firms that assisted its expert witnesses, and otherwise GRANTS the SEC’s requests to redact the documents submitted in connection with the Daubert Motions,” Judge Torres ordered.