I guess what I have trouble with is seeing the real benefit for McL to deceptively argue keeping the docs sealed, to say what he said to the judge about "good reason to believe", and to hand over affidavits from JH and another investigator. What purpose was there to have a ploy for anything? I've read all the speculations about why he would do this (as due diligence, to delay things, to make them look better because they screwed up, etc, etc), but I'm not sure why it is so implausible that McL simply said what he meant. I understand that there is some question about the documents, the lack of forthright evidence to support his arguments, and the like, but McL also came prepared with a redacted version and seemed quite aware that the court would likely unseal the documents, anyway. To our eyes, there's nothing there to protect as fiercely as what McL attempted to protect. So why would he do that? To himself, his reputation, the case, the LE agencies who worked the case, the families, and the girls?
It's very likely that I am mistaken and just don't see what others here apparently see so clearly, but my personal perspective remains open to the possibility that we just don't know what's truly going on behind the scenes.