UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
IN RE: APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION Administrative Order
FROM THE ELECTRONIC PUBLIC No. 21-MS-021
ACCESS FEES BY CHEN HUANG
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This matter is before the Court upon the application and request by Chen Huang
for exemption from the fees imposed by the Electronic Public Access fee schedule
adopted by the Judicial Conference of the United States Courts.
The Court finds that Chen Huang, a Lecturer in Finance at the University of Kent in the
UK, falls within the class of users listed in the fee schedule as being eligible for a fee
exemption. Additionally, Huang has demonstrated that an exemption is necessary in
order to avoid unreasonable burdens and to promote public access to information.
Accordingly, Huang shall be exempt from the payment of fees for access via
PACER to the electronic case files maintained in this Court, to the extent such use is
incurred in the course of researching whether the introduction of Greenhouse Gas
Reporting Program (GHGRP) in the U.S. improves publicly listed companies' social
behaviors by reducing the probability of environmental related lawsuits. Specifically,
Huang will use environmental related litigation data from 2000 to 2020 to ensure 10 years
before and after the GHGRP. Huang’s research requires access to 3-5% of
approximately 18,000 cases or a total of 540-900 cases. Huang’s goal from this research
is to publish an article in an upcoming special issue of an academic accounting journal.
Huang shall not be exempt from the payment of fees incurred in connection with
other uses of the PACER system in this Court. Additionally, the following limitations apply:
1. This fee exemption applies only to Huang (PACER Account #6661533),
and is valid only for the purposes stated above;
2. This fee exemption applies only to the electronic case files of this Court that
are available through the PACER system;
3. By accepting this exemption, Huang agrees not to sell for profit any data
obtained as a result of receiving this exemption;
4. Huang is prohibited from transferring any data obtained as a result of
receiving this exemption, including redistribution via internet-based
databases;
5. This exemption is valid until September 30, 2021.
This Order may be revoked at the discretion of the Court at any time. A copy of
this Order shall be sent to the PACER Service Center.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
FOR THE COURT:
Dated: March 30, 2021
ROBERT J. JONKER
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
