Judge Lucy Koh handed down an order on Wednesday denying Apple’s motion to keep it’s financial information sealed. She did however, agree to a temporary stay on the ruling as it relates to certain earnings and profits numbers pending federal court appeal.
The order granted in part and denied in part Apple’s motion to seal specific documents related to a declaration by an expert witness, and did the same for the company’s request for a stay on the California court’s decision to disclose confidential financial information.
The issue at hand is Apple’s introduction of a redacted document containing a partial summary of damages calculations, as it contains “product-specific unit sales and revenue information.”
The judge originally denied a motion to keep the damages motion sealed, as she stated that Apple needed to reveal the documents since it is seeking another $535 million on top of the $1.05 billion it was awarded by the jury in the Apple vs. Samsung decision in August.
“As Apple appears to have realized in introducing that exhibit, it cannot both use its financial data to seek multi-billion dollar damages and insist on keeping it secret,” Judge Koh wrote in her order. “The public’s interest in accessing Apple’s financial information is now perhaps even greater than it was at trial.”
Koh went on to say the Apple hasn’t presented adequate arguments why the information should be classified as “trade secrets,” saying her earlier order found “unit sales, revenue, profit, profit margin, and cost data do not meet the ‘compelling reasons’ standard.”
Apple has received a stay from the Federal Circuit, and while Judge Koh says she believes her order to deny the request for sealing of the documents was correct, she also noted that “the parties will be deprived of any remedy if this Court does not stay its Order.”
You can view Apple’s request to seal the financials below.
