-5-
was not indicted); Crystal Grower’s Corp. v. Dobbins, 616 F.2d
458 (10th Cir. 1980) (sealing portions of record involving
documents alleged to be subject to attorney-client privilege or
work product doctrine); In re Sarkar, 575 F.2d 870 (C.C.P.A.
1978) (sealing record involving patent application proceeding so
that the information would remain a trade secret in the event of
an adverse decision); Sendi v. Prudential-Bache Sec., 100 F.R.D.
21 (D.D.C. 1983) (sealing parties’ tax returns to protect
confidentiality and privacy interests). Merely asserting
annoyance, embarrassment, or harm to a person’s personal
reputation, however, is generally insufficient to demonstrate
good cause and overcome the strong common law presumption in
favor of access to court records. Willie Nelson Music Co. v.
Commissioner, supra at 921, 925 (record not sealed where
nationally known entertainer sought to avoid public scrutiny or
news coverage of case); Tavano v. Commissioner, supra (record not
sealed where taxpayer had civil suit pending against employer and
did not want employer to learn facts of case).
Petitioner submitted affidavits together with supporting
documentation that demonstrate the severe degree of harm
petitioner and petitioner’s family members would risk if we did
not seal the record. These affidavits and documentation show
that a member of petitioner’s family was kidnapped several years
ago and that kidnapping is rampant in the country where
petitioner and most of petitioner’s family reside. Petitioner
fears that publicizing petitioner’s identity and financial
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