2025-cv-04727

COMPLAINT filed by PG LTD.; Jury Demand. Filing fee $ 405, receipt number AILNDC-23419008.

Schedule A

Ex.1

Ex.2

Ex.3

CIVIL Cover Sheet

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff PG LTD. by James Edward Judge

MOTION by Plaintiff PG LTD. for leave to file documents under seal

SEALED DOCUMENT by Plaintiff PG LTD. Unredacted Complaint

CASE ASSIGNED to the Honorable Georgia N Alexakis. Designated as Magistrate Judge the Honorable Young B. Kim. Case assignment: Random assignment. (Civil Category 1).

CLERK'S NOTICE: Pursuant to Local Rule 73.1(b), a United States Magistrate Judge of this court is available to conduct all proceedings in this civil action. If all parties consent to have the currently assigned United States Magistrate Judge conduct all proceedings in this case, including trial, the entry of final judgment, and all post-trial proceedings, all parties must sign their names on the attached Consent To form. This consent form is eligible for filing only if executed by all parties. The parties can also express their consent to jurisdiction by a magistrate judge in any joint filing, including the Joint Initial Status Report or proposed Case Management Order.

NEW PARTIES: JOHN DOES added to case caption. Terminating The Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations Identified in Schedule A

MAILED copyright report to Registrar, Washington DC

MAILED patent report to Patent Trademark Office, Alexandria VA

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Georgia N Alexakis: The Court grants in part and denies in part plaintiff's motion to seal 4. The Clerk of Court is directed to unseal the complaint at Dkt. 5 and Exhibit 1 and Dkt. 5-2. The Clerk of Court is also directed to amend the plaintiff's name in the case caption of the electronic docket from "PG LTD." to "PICKULS GIZMO LTD." Plaintiff has not rebutted the presumption that its complaint, including its identity and the intellectual property right it is asserting, should be filed publicly. Plaintiff has not identified any statute, rule, or privilege that justifies confidentiality. See In re Specht, 622 F.3d 697, 701 (7th Cir. 2010) ("Documents that affect the disposition of federal litigation are presumptively open to public view, even if the litigants strongly prefer secrecy, unless a statute, rule, or privilege justifies confidentiality."); City of Greenville, Ill. v. Syngenta Crop Prot., LLC, 764 F.3d 695, 697 (7th Cir. 2014) ("[L]itigants who enjoy publicly subsidized dispute resolution should expect public oversight."). And with respect to pseudonyms, the Seventh Circuit has "repeatedly voiced [its] disfavor of parties proceeding anonymously, as anonymous litigation runs contrary to the rights of the public to have open judicial proceedings and to know who is using court facilities and procedures funded by public taxes." See Doe v. Vill. of Deerfield, 819 F.3d 372, 376-77 (7th Cir. 2016). "To proceed anonymously, a party must demonstrate 'exceptional circumstances' that outweigh both the public policy in favor of identified parties and the prejudice to the opposing party that would result from anonymity." Id. Here, plaintiff has failed to demonstrate "exceptional circumstances" that warrant proceeding anonymously. In addition, upon review of the complaint, the Court sua sponte raises the propriety of joining 181 defendants in a single action. By 5/14/25, plaintiff must file a supplemental memorandum addressing the propriety of joinder in light of this Court's orders in Bug Art Limited v. The Partnerships, 24 CV 7777, Dkt. 28 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 28, 2024), and Anagram International v. The Partnerships, 24 CV 12194, Dkt. 87 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 21, 2025). In the alternative, plaintiff has leave to file an amended complaint by 5/14/25 with a smaller subset of defendants along with a memorandum explaining why that smaller subset of defendants is properly joined. No motion for an ex parte temporary restraining order should be filed in this matter without counsel first consulting this Court's order in Wham-O Holding v. The Partnerships, 24 CV 12523, Dkt. 39 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 20, 2025).

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Georgia N Alexakis: Initial status hearing is set for 7/15/25 at 9:30 a.m. in person in Courtroom 1719. By 7/8/25, the parties shall file a Joint Initial Status Report that complies with the Court's standing order, which can be found on the Court's website. If the defendant(s) have not been served by the initial status hearing date, counsel for Plaintiff must contact the Courtroom Deputy to reschedule the status hearing and the date for filing the Joint Initial Status Report.

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff PICKULS GIZMO LTD. by Ying Chen

ATTORNEY Appearance for Plaintiff PICKULS GIZMO LTD. by Zareefa Burki Flener

MOTION by Plaintiff PICKULS GIZMO LTD. for leave to file documents under seal Renewed Motion

AMENDED complaint by PICKULS GIZMO LTD. against JOHN DOES

SEALED DOCUMENT by Plaintiff PICKULS GIZMO LTD. Unredacted Complaint

NOTICE of Motion by James Edward Judge for presentment of motion for leave to file 12 before Honorable Georgia N Alexakis on 5/19/2025 at 09:30 AM.

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Georgia N Alexakis: The Court grants plaintiff's motion for leave to file under seal 12. No appearance is required on 5/19/25.

NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by PICKULS GIZMO LTD. as to Certain Defendants

STATUS Report by PICKULS GIZMO LTD.

MINUTE entry before the Honorable Georgia N Alexakis: Per plaintiff's notice of voluntary dismissal 17 and status report 18, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1), all claims against the remaining defendants in this matter are dismissed without prejudice. Civil case terminated.