---
title: "Stipulated protective order (federal civil)"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/us-stipulated-protective-order"
type: "precedent"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "a5-us-stipulated-protective-order"
area_id: "A5"
kind: "court-document"
ai_level: "yellow"
version: 1
task_ids: ["A5-T1-R4", "A5-V20260923-4", "A5-B8-3"]
law_stated_as_at: "2026-10-22"
---

# Stipulated protective order (federal civil)

> Stipulation and proposed order under Rule 26(c) for confidential commercial information in a federal civil case, with a Rule 502(d) non-waiver clause and a reminder that designation is not sealing.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/us-stipulated-protective-order  
Law stated as at: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

- Kind: Court document. A document filed or served in a court or tribunal.
- Practice area: [Commercial Litigation & Dispute Resolution](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution.md)
- Jurisdictions: United States
- AI level: Yellow. You and the tool draft together, with you directing. You check every statement you rely on.
- Law stated as at: 2026-10-22
- Status: Maintained. Checked on 2026-10-22 against the 5 authorities it cites, for United States.

## When to use it

Use when the parties agree to limit how discovery material may be used and who may see it. Do not file it until both sides have agreed the text. In a district that publishes a model, start from that model if the court expects it. This is not a motion, and it does not find good cause by itself.

## Used for these tasks

- [Review the discovery set and draft a production issues list](https://ailawframework.com/practice/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/review-the-discovery-set-and-draft-a-production-issues-list.md)
- [Decide whether discovery or suppressed material can go into a tool](https://ailawframework.com/practice/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/decide-whether-discovery-or-suppressed-material-can-go-into-a-tool.md)
- [Summarise discovery for privilege review with technology-assisted review](https://ailawframework.com/practice/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/summarise-discovery-for-privilege-review-with-technology-assisted-review.md)

## How AI may be used

AI may adapt the stipulation from the agreed term sheet. The lawyer decides the categories, who may see them, and whether the court is likely to enter it.

**AI may:**

- Insert party names, the case number and the agreed challenge period from the term sheet
- List the people who may see the higher tier, from the list the lawyer provides
- Flag a clause that lets a party file designated material under seal without a further order

**AI must not:**

- Must not decide that good cause exists, or that particular documents are confidential
- Must not copy a court's model order in place of reading it
- Must not file the stipulation or present it as an entered order

**The lawyer checks:**

- Both parties have agreed the text, including the challenge timing and the deposition clause
- The 502(d) language is an order the court is asked to enter, not only a side agreement
- Filing under seal and Rule 5.2 redaction are handled by the court's own rules, not by a confidentiality stamp

## Authorities

- [Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(c) (protective orders for good cause, including trade secrets and who may be present)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_26)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 502(d), (e) and (f) (order controlling waiver; an agreement alone binds only the parties)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/fre/rule_502)
- [Fed. R. Civ. P. 5.2 (redaction of identifiers in filings; sealing is a separate order)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_5.2)
- [Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(5) (privilege log and the steps after a clawback notice)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/rule_26)
- [Northern District of California model protective orders page (court-approved forms; Patent Local Rule 2-2; other cases need not use the model)](https://cand.uscourts.gov/rules-forms-fees/northern-district-guidelines/model-protective-orders)

## Full text and drafting notes

The full text and the drafting notes are not part of this public page. Signed-in firm accounts can read them at https://ailawframework.com/precedents/commercial-litigation-and-dispute-resolution/us-stipulated-protective-order and through the signed-in MCP connector https://ailawframework.com/mcp/firm.

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*