IDG News Service —
A tech trade group and a handful of news organizations have asked a U.S. court to lift its order to seal documents in the pending antitrust lawsuit brought against Intel (INTC) by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), saying the gag order has "unnecessarily and unjustly" withheld information from the public.
The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), along with five news organizations including The New York Times and The Washington Post, filed a motion Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, asking the court to unseal several records related to the case. The groups also asked for a new judge to rule on their request.
AMD filed the antitrust lawsuit against Intel in June 2005, and in mid-2006, the two companies negotiated a court-approved agreement that closed some transcripts of hearings and teleconferences, as well as some court filings, to the public. AMD alleges in the lawsuit that Intel has used its dominant market share in the x86 microprocessor market to intimidate and discourage computer makers and retailers from buying AMD chips.
In the case, AMD has issued subpoenas for documents from dozens of companies, including computer makers Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Dell and retailer Best Buy (BBY). Some of the companies subpoenaed refused to share the documents, saying disclosure would expose trade secrets. In response, AMD and Intel negotiated a protective order that was approved by Judge Joseph Farnan Jr.
But the protective order was overly broad, CCIA and the news organizations argued in Thursday's filing. "Protective orders, which govern the exchange of information outside of a public docket are obtained pursuant to a 'good cause' standards," wrote David Finger, a lawyer for CCIA. "When such information is filed with a court, however, it becomes part of a public document subject to the right of public access, absent showing a compelling justification and a clearly defined and serious injury."
Some information that's been protected describe events that "took place so long ago that there is no likely reason their disclosure would cause competitive disadvantage," Finger wrote. In some cases, redacted information appears to be employee lists, he wrote.
"Litigants may not seal information merely because public disclosure will be embarrassing or will otherwise reflect poorly on them," Finger added.
An AMD spokesman said the company is aware of the filing. "AMD does not oppose the motion," said Michael Silverman, the spokesman.
AMD has told reporters they'd have to file a motion with the court to get information beyond the redacted documents the company has supplied them, Silverman said.
