Motion to Seal Records Template

[Attorney Name or Party Name]
[Law Firm Name, if applicable]
[Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
[Bar Number, if applicable]

IN THE [NAME OF COURT]
FOR [COUNTY / DISTRICT / JURISDICTION]

[Plaintiff / Petitioner Name],
Plaintiff / Petitioner,

v.
[Defendant / Respondent Name],
Defendant / Respondent.

Case No.: [Case Number]

1. Title of Motion

MOTION TO SEAL RECORDS

[Name of Moving Party] respectfully moves the Court for an order sealing the records, documents, exhibits, or portions of filings identified below.

This motion is made under the applicable court rules, local rules, prior orders if any, and the Court’s authority to protect confidential or sensitive information from unnecessary public disclosure.

2. Moving Party Information

Moving Party: [Full Name or Entity Name]
Role in Case: [Plaintiff / Defendant / Petitioner / Respondent / Nonparty / Other]

Counsel for Moving Party, if applicable:

[Attorney Name]
[Law Firm Name]
[Address]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]

3. Records or Materials to Be Sealed

The Moving Party requests sealing of the following material:

Document / Exhibit Name: [Name]
Docket Number, if filed: [Number]
Date Filed or To Be Filed: [Date]

Document / Exhibit Name: [Name]
Docket Number, if filed: [Number]
Date Filed or To Be Filed: [Date]

Additional materials, if any:

[Insert details]

If only part of a filing should be sealed, identify the exact portions here:

[Describe pages, paragraphs, exhibit tabs, or lines]

4. Nature of Confidential Information

The material sought to be sealed contains the following type of information:

☐ personal identifying information
☐ medical or health information
☐ confidential financial information
☐ trade secrets
☐ proprietary business information
☐ confidential third-party information
☐ law-enforcement-sensitive material
☐ minor-related information
☐ other confidential material: [Describe]

Additional description of the confidential content:

[Insert details]

5. Grounds for Sealing

Sealing is necessary because:

[Describe why public filing would create harm, invade privacy, reveal protected information, or disclose confidential material]

The harm from public disclosure includes:

[Describe privacy harm, business harm, safety concern, prejudice, statutory concern, or other injury]

6. Narrow Tailoring

This request is narrowly tailored because:

☐ only specific exhibits are being sealed
☐ only limited portions of a filing are being sealed
☐ a redacted public version will be filed, if required
☐ the request applies only to the minimum material necessary
☐ other: [Describe]

Additional narrow-tailoring explanation:

[Insert details]

7. Less Restrictive Alternatives

The Moving Party has considered the following less restrictive alternatives:

☐ redaction
☐ partial sealing
☐ use of initials or anonymous identifiers
☐ filing summaries instead of full exhibits
☐ protective order only
☐ other: [Describe]

Those alternatives are not sufficient because:

[Insert explanation]

8. Duration of Requested Seal

The Moving Party requests that the materials be sealed:

☐ permanently
☐ until further order of the Court
☐ for a limited period ending on [Date]
☐ until conclusion of the case
☐ other: [Describe]

If later unsealing, redaction, or review is requested, state that here:

[Insert details]

9. Persons Who May Access Sealed Material

If the Court grants this motion, access to the sealed material should be limited to:

☐ the Court and court staff
☐ counsel of record
☐ the parties
☐ authorized experts or consultants
☐ other persons approved by the Court
☐ as otherwise required by rule or order

Additional access instructions, if any:

[Insert details]

10. Legal Basis

This motion is based on:

☐ applicable local sealing rule
☐ privacy protection rule
☐ confidentiality obligation under law
☐ prior protective order
☐ contractual confidentiality obligation
☐ other authority: [Describe]

Additional legal basis, if any:

[Insert statute, rule, order, or authority]

11. Request for Relief

The Moving Party respectfully requests that the Court:

seal the materials identified in this motion;
permit filing of sealed unredacted versions and, if required, public redacted versions;
limit access to the sealed material as requested or as the Court deems proper;
grant any additional relief appropriate to protect the confidential information at issue.

12. Signature

Dated: [Date]

Signature: __________________________
Name: [Attorney Name or Party Name]
Title: [Attorney for Moving Party / Self-Represented Party / Other]
Bar Number: [Bar Number, if applicable]

13. Certificate of Service

I certify that on [Date], I served a copy of this Motion to Seal Records on the following person(s) or party(ies):

[Name] – [Address / Email]
[Name] – [Address / Email]

Method of Service:

☐ electronic filing system
☐ email
☐ mail
☐ hand delivery
☐ other: [Specify]

Signature: __________________________
Name: [Attorney Name or Party Name]
Date: [Date]