On February 24, 2014, Judge Lynn issued an Order (available here) in the The Decapolis Group v. Mangesh Energy Case. Judge Lynn determined that the arbitration award at issue would be confirmed, in the process denying defendants’ motion to dismiss. Defendants had argued that, because they had fully complied with the arbitration award, there was no case or controversy. Judge Lynn disagreed, finding that it was proper for the court to confirm the award under the parties’ contract and the Federal Arbitration Act. Thus, Article 3 of the Constitution was satisfied, and the Court had jurisdiction to confirm the award.
Judge Lynn also granted the Defendant’s motion to seal. Although there is a presumption that judicial records are to be kept open to the public, the public’s right to access court records is not absolute, and district courts have the discretion to seal documents if the interest favoring nondisclosure outweighs the presumption in favor of the public’s common-law right of access. Judge Lynn found that the award contained extensive findings of fact and conclusions of law, and that any public interest in the award is minimal and counterbalanced by the interest in confidentiality expressed in the parties’ agreement.