Darjean v. SandersDarjean v. Sanders
ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART MOTION TO INTERVENE
THIS MATTER comes before the Court on the Motion to Intervene for the Limited Purpose Of Seeking Redacted Judicial Records And Objecting, Prospectively, to Any Proposed Closure of the Trial Herein (“Motion to Intervene“) filed by Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC d/b/a USA Today (“USA Today“), the responses filed by Plaintiff John Darjean (“Darjean“) and Debtor/Defendant Shilo Dion Sanders (“Sanders“), and USA Today‘s reply.1
BACKGROUND
This case is a continuation of a long-standing dispute between Sanders and Darjean. In 2016, Darjean sued Sanders in Texas state court (the “State Court“). The lawsuit concerned an altercation that occurred in 2015 at a private school where Darjean was employed, and Sanders was a student. Sanders was fifteen years old at the time and still a minor. During the Texas proceeding, Sanders filed a motion for a protective order because Darjean was allegedly seeking discovery of various records that were confidential under state law and/or impacted his privacy rights as a minor.2 The State Court entered a blanket protective order dated April 16, 2018 (the “2018 Protective Order“) that limited the parties’ use of any information or documents
Darjean then initiated this adversary proceeding against Sanders, alleging the State Court‘s judgment is nondischargeable under
Trial on Dajean‘s dischargeability complaint is currently scheduled for August 31- September 4, 2026. This Court, in an earlier ruling on Darjean‘s summary judgment motion, has already determined that the State Court‘s order and judgment have collateral estoppel effect on the issues of causation and damages but not on the issues of willful act, malicious injury, or self-defense.8 Thus, trial will be limited to those specific issues.
In the Motion to Intervene, USA Today asks the Court to unseal or provide redacted copies of the motions in limine and responses as well as the transcript from the oral argument. USA Today also objects, prospectively, to any closure of the upcoming trial. Sanders objects to some of the relief sought in USA Today‘s Motion.
ANALYSIS
A. Intervention
USA Today‘s ability to intervene is controlled by
In addition to meeting the procedural requirements of Rule 24, an intervenor must establish standing to intervene. In bankruptcy cases, courts have held that the press has standing to intervene to challenge protective orders or orders sealing records to obtain access to protected information. This determination typically rests on a finding that the order at issue impedes the intervenor‘s access to information and that a decision to unseal would remedy the injury.
In this case, USA Today does not identify a specific injury but asserts that it should be granted access to the sealed motions in limine pleadings and the sealed transcript of the oral argument. It asks the Court to provide at least redacted versions of those pleadings and the transcript. This is sufficient to establish standing. Accordingly, the Court will allow USA Today to intervene for the limited purpose identified in the Motion to Intervene.
B. Access to Judicial Records Discussed as Part of a Motion in Limine Hearing
It is well established that the public has a general right of access to judicial records.18 This right extends to bankruptcy proceedings.19 However, this right is not absolute.20 Initially, the public‘s right of access to litigation-related materials depends, in part, on the stage of litigation. In the discovery context, there is no presumption of public access to unfiled discovery.21 As one court put it, “[s]ecrecy is fine at the discovery stage, before the material enters the judicial record.”22 In the discovery phase, courts have discretion to enter protective orders limiting the use or disclosure of discovery materials upon showing of good cause.23 Things change, however, at the
There is a danger, however, to unfettered access. In a case with a different set of facts and issues, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals noted some of the dangers:
While the law governing public access to these materials is largely settled, we have not yet adequately addressed the potential harms that often accompany such access. These harms are apparent. Over forty years ago, the Supreme Court observed that, without vigilance, courts’ files might “become a vehicle for improper purposes.” Our legal process is already susceptible to abuse. Unscrupulous litigants can weaponize the discovery process to humiliate and embarrass their adversaries. Shielded by the “litigation privilege,” bad actors can defame opponents in court pleadings or depositions without fear of lawsuit and liability. Unfortunately, the presumption of public access to court documents has the potential to exacerbate these harms to privacy and reputation by ensuring that damaging material irrevocably enters the public record.27
The Court is NOT suggesting that any party seeks to use the protected information for nefarious purposes in this case. Rather, the last sentence of the quote highlights the need for guideposts to ensure the adjudication of the issues at trial without exacerbating potential harm to privacy and reputation. The presumption in favor of access to judicial records may be overcome where “countervailing interests heavily outweigh the public interests in access.” A trial court “in its discretion, may seal documents if the public‘s right of access is outweighed by competing interests.” This is where motions in limine play an important role in the trial process. A motion in limine is “a procedural mechanism to limit in advance testimony or evidence in a particular area.” A party files a motion in limine to exclude anticipated prejudicial evidence before it is introduced at trial. A court has the power to grant such motions pursuant to its “inherent authority to manage the course of trials,” even though such rulings are not explicitly authorized by the Federal Rules of Evidence. Regardless of a court‘s initial decision on a motion in limine, it may revisit the issue at trial.
At this point, it is important to outline again the issues to be determined at the upcoming trial in this case. Darjean seeks a determination that his claim in Sanders’
The first element refers to proof of a willful act. Willfulness “takes a deliberate or intentional injury, not merely a deliberate or intentional act that leads to injury.”29 The debtor must “intend ‘the consequences of an act,’ not simply ‘the act itself.‘”30 Courts have recognized two ways of establishing willful conduct. The debtor must either “desire to cause the consequences of his act or believe that the consequences are substantially certain to result from it.”31 The latter “substantial certainty” test is not an objective test.32 Rather, willfulness under both standards is a wholly subjective test dependent on the state of mind of the debtor.33
The second element requires proof of a malicious injury, which is distinct from willfulness. Malicious injury requires evidence of the debtor‘s motives. To be malicious, the debtor must have “acted with a culpable state of mind vis-à-vis the actual injury caused to the creditor.”34 The debtor‘s action must be “wrongful and without just cause or excuse.”35 An act may be malicious if taken “in conscious disregard of one‘s duties and without just cause or excuse, even in the absence of personal hatred, spite or ill will.”36 “[A]ll the surrounding circumstances, including any justification or excuse offered by the debtor, are relevant to determine whether the debtor acted with a culpable state of mind.37 For example, “an act taken with intent to harm an individual who is also a
In this case, USA Today is seeking access to judicial records–namely Sanders’ motions in limine and related responses. This Court must consider whether any countervailing interests overcome USA Today‘s right to access. The motions in limine, in part, seek to preclude from evidence, certain records created when Sanders was a minor by the Dallas Police Department, the Letot Juvenile Detention Facility, Texas Child Protective Services and his high school (collectively the “Juvenile Records“). Neither Sanders’ motions in limine nor the responses thereto attach copies of the Juvenile Records, but the pleadings discuss their contents.
There is no question that when Sanders asked the State Court for a protective order in 2018, he cited his privacy interests as a minor and the protections afforded to juvenile records under Texas law.39 When it entered the 2018 Protective Order, the State Court recognized these interests by issuing a blanket protective order covering all discovery materials, including records held by “medical practitioners or facilities, the Dallas County Sheriff‘s Department, Dallas Police Department, Letot Center, Child Protective Services, Sachse High School and Trinity Christian School.” The State Court has since clarified that the 2018 Protective Order remains in place and continues to protect such records. While the existence of the 2018 Protective Order is important, the Tenth Circuit has made clear that “the parties cannot overcome the presumption against sealing judicial records simply by pointing out that the records are subject to a protective order.”40 Here, the State court took the extra step of also sealing judicial records in the Texas case based on Sanders’ “privacy interest relating to conduct and circumstances that took place while he was a minor.”41
This Court agrees with the State Court‘s determination that Sanders has a substantial privacy interest in protecting his Juvenile Records from disclosure. Although this Court has limited expertise in Texas state law governing juveniles, several statutes appear to protect the confidentiality of various types of juvenile records.42 This comports with the notion that the law treats juveniles differently and protects their privacy in various ways.43 Policies of non-disclosure developed out of beliefs that it was important to protect individuals from ridicule for youthful indiscretions and to promote
The Court recognizes that any order limiting public access to judicial records must be narrowly tailored to serve the interest identified.46 There are substantial portions of the motions in limine and responses that do not concern Sanders’ Juvenile Records and/or which discuss them generally. These portions can be disclosed without impacting Sanders’ privacy interests. As such, the Court will docket redacted versions of the motions in limine and related responses.
C. Sealing of Transcript/Hearing
USA Today also asks for a copy of the transcript from the July 14 oral arguments on the motions in limine. Limiting access to court proceedings or transcripts from court proceedings is similar to the analysis for limiting access to court records. There are both common-law and First Amendment rights of public access to court proceedings.47 These rights create a presumption that court proceedings will be open.48 To close a
As discussed above, trial in this matter is limited to certain narrow issues. In this case, the Court set oral arguments on the motions in limine to determine whether certain categories of documents to be offered by Darjean were sufficiently relevant and limited to those issues. Some of the documents Sanders’ motions sought to preclude are the Juvenile Records. As discussed above, the Court finds that Sanders has a legitimate privacy interest in keeping these records private. To discuss the relevance and continued confidentiality of those records without disclosing them to the public, attendance at the hearing needed to be limited. To hold otherwise would defeat the purpose of the hearing.51 Nevertheless, to narrowly tailor the sealing of court proceedings on the motions in limine, the Court will docket a redacted version of the July 14 transcript. This transcript will redact references to protected Juvenile Records that will not be relevant to issues at the upcoming trial.
D. Upcoming Trial
Finally, USA Today requests that the Court not limit public access to the upcoming trial absent the requisite findings that closure is necessary. The Court has no intention of preventing public access to the trial. Darjean may offer Juvenile Records as exhibits, and/or witnesses may discuss Juvenile Records. Assuming that evidence or testimony is deemed relevant, the Court will determine on an ad hoc basis whether preventing public access to those records is necessary. The offered exhibits will not be part of the public record unless and until the Court admits such exhibit. However, the Court notes that, to the extent any Juvenile Records are necessary to determine the parties’ substantive legal rights at trial, there is an even stronger presumption of public access.52 Sanders’ interests in privacy of his Juvenile Records may well give way to the interests in public access if those records are relevant and necessary to determining the
CONCLUSION
For the reasons stated above, the Court hereby ORDERS that USA Today‘s Motion to Intervene is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART as follows:
- USA Today is allowed to intervene for the limited purpose described in the Motion to Intervene;
- USA Today‘s request for release of redacted versions of the motions in limine and related pleadings is GRANTED;
- USA Today‘s request for release of redacted versions of the July 14 transcript is GRANTED.
- USA Today‘s objection to any closure of the trial is SUSTAINED, with the Court retaining the right to make ad hoc decisions regarding the sealing of any evidence of Sanders juvenile records.
Dated: August 12, 2026.
BY THE COURT:
Michael E. Romero, Judge
United States Bankruptcy Court