Woldegiorgis
Woldegiorgis v. NYK Ship Management
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 BEREKET WOLDEGIORGIS, Case No. 18-cv-07678-AGT
Plaintiff,
ORDER RE: DISCOVERY DISPUTE
v. 9 Re: Dkt. No. 70 NYK SHIP MANAGEMENT, Defendant.
Defendant has refused to produce the addresses and phone numbers of the crew members who were aboard its vessel when plaintiff slipped and fell. This contact information may lead to the discovery of relevant information, and defendant’s stated reason for withholding it—the need to protect the crew members’ privacy rights—isn’t compelling. Addresses and phone numbers are personal, but not on par with more sensitive information, such as medical and financial records. See Belaire-W. Landscape, Inc. v. Superior Ct., 149 Cal. App. 4th 554, 561–62 (2007). Also, defendant isn’t being asked to post the crew members’ contact information on the public docket; all that is requested is that defendant provide this information to plaintiff so that he can conduct discovery. Defendant’s privacy argument is based on distinguishable caselaw. In…