Standard Insurance Company v. Minnesota Life Insurance Company
1:25-cv-00212
S.D.N.Y.May 21, 2025Background
- Standard Insurance Company ("The Standard") is the plaintiff in an action against Minnesota Life Insurance Company and Securian Financial Group (the "Securian Entities") in the Southern District of New York.
- The Standard seeks to partially dismiss the Securian Entities’ counterclaims or, alternatively, to compel arbitration of those counterclaims.
- The Standard requests leave to file its Brief in support of its motion and an accompanying exhibit under seal, with a public version of the Brief containing redactions.
- Both parties consent to the sealing and redactions, citing commercially sensitive transaction and customer data as the grounds.
- The request references prior instances in the case where similar information was sealed.
- The court is asked to balance the presumption of public access to judicial records against privacy and competitive harm concerns.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff’s Argument | Defendant’s Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whether to seal and redact filings containing sensitive info | Disclosure risks harm; consent | Consent to sealing | Not yet ruled |
| Whether to dismiss counterclaims or compel arbitration | Should partially dismiss/compel | Opposes dismissal | Not yet ruled |
Key Cases Cited
- Lugosch v. Pyramid Co. of Onondaga, 435 F.3d 110 (2d Cir. 2006) (framework for public access to judicial documents)
- United States v. Amodeo, 71 F.3d 1044 (2d Cir. 1995) (balancing privacy against public interest in disclosure)
- Nixon v. Warner Commc'ns, Inc., 435 U.S. 589 (1978) (judicial records may be sealed to prevent competitive harm)