This column reports on several significant, representative decisions handed down recently in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto saw no reason, despite an application by the parties, to seal papers submitted in connection with a motion. Judge William F. Kuntz, II, rejected plaintiffs’ claims that their religious beliefs entitled them to send their children to school without mandatory vaccinations. Kuntz also granted summary judgment in plaintiffs’ favor on their hostile work environment claims detailing sexual abuse by employees and failure of management to take corrective action. And Judge Jack B. Weinstein held that, under the circumstances, plaintiff’s failure to exhaust administrative remedies did not bar his section 1983 claims against jail officials.
Sealing Order Denied
In Raffaele v. The City of New York, 13 CV 4607 (EDNY, June 9, 2014), Judge Matsumoto rejected an unopposed application by plaintiff and a number of city defendants to seal plaintiff’s papers discussing and attaching a Civilian Complaint Review Board report, all filed in opposition to defendants’ motion to dismiss the complaint.
