UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
IN RE: APPLICATION FOR EXEMPTION Administrative Order
FROM THE ELECTRONIC PUBLIC No. 20-MS-091
ACCESS FEES BY ERIC GELSOMIN
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This matter is before the Court upon the application and request by Eric Gelsomin
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 Eric Gelsomin, a Ph.D. candidate at Boston College, falls within
the class of users listed in the fee schedule as being eligible for a fee exemption.
Additionally, Gelsomin has demonstrated that an exemption is necessary in order to avoid
unreasonable burdens and to promote public access to information.
Accordingly, Gelsomin 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 studying the effects of beneficial ownership in securities litigation
cases filed in federal district courts. Specifically, Gelsomin anticipates accessing
approximately 3,000 cases filed between 2008 and 2019 nationwide. The scope of his
request is limited to securities class action lawsuits that are generally filed under the
Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, involving publicly traded
companies. Within each securities case, Gelsomin is interested in accessing court
documents filed in accordance with Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 7.1 and related local district court
rules that modify or extend the disclosure of financial interests in civil litigation (e.g., Md.
L. R. 103.3(b)). Gelsomin will use this information to publish a scholarly article.
Gelsomin 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 Gelsomin (PACER Account #
6591176), 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, Gelsomin agrees not to sell for profit any data
obtained as a result of receiving this exemption;
4. Gelsomin 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 June 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: December 8, 2020
ROBERT J. JONKER
CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
