The suit seeks to hold Read civilly liable for O'Keefe's death. Its lower burden of proof means Read faces real exposure despite her criminal acquittal, and she can be compelled to sit for a deposition — something she never had to do in the criminal trials.

Discovery has been dominated by a dispute over former trooper Michael Proctor, a witness in the case. After Proctor moved to seal medical records tied to a request to delay his deposition, that impounded information surfaced online within about half an hour of the filing being circulated to attorneys.

Judge Gildea has treated the leak as a serious breach of a court order, demanding sworn certifications from everyone with access and pausing Proctor-related discovery until the parties agree on how confidentiality will be enforced going forward.