D.C. District Court Rules in Favor of Anonymity When Challenging a CFPB Civil Investigative Demand

CFPB Enforcement John Doe v CFPB

Recently, the District Court for the District of Columbia issued an opinion recognizing a company’s right to maintain privacy when challenging a CFPB Civil Investigative Demand (CID). John Doe Company No. 1 v. CFPB, No. 1:15-cv-1177 (D.D.C. Oct. 16, 2015). After receiving a CID from the Bureau, the Plaintiffs requested that the CFPB allow counsel to be present at a voluntary investigative hearing; the Plaintiffs’ request and subsequent petition to the CFPB were denied. On July 22, 2015, Plaintiffs filed a complaint against the CFPB seeking a temporary restraining order (TRO) and a motion to seal the case, arguing that sealing was appropriate because (i) CFPB investigations are normally nonpublic; and (ii) sealing the case would protect Plaintiffs from the harm that an ongoing investigation would cause if it were disclosed to the public. The court applied a six-factor test established by the D.C. Circuit in United States v. Hubbard to determine whether the court records should be released, considering the need for public access to the documents, the strength of the property and privacy interests involved, the possibility of prejudice against the Plaintiffs, and other factors. In a “compromise [to maximize] the amount of information available to the public while still protecting the privacy interest Plaintiffs assert,” the court ruled to unseal the case but ordered Plaintiffs to file redacted versions of all files pertaining to the case, omitting the names of Plaintiffs and “any other information reasonably likely to lead to the disclosure of Plaintiffs’ identities.”