Discovery

• Author: Rogge Dunn/Joel 'Ty' Gomez
• Pages: 1611-1698

DISCOVERY

40-1

CHAPTER 40

DISCOVERY

BY ROGGE DUNN AND JOEL “TY” GOMEZ

40:1. GET THE BIG PICTURE

A. Create Discovery Plan

1. What and Why

2. Identify Elements

a. Review Jury Charges

b. Review Summary Judgment Standard

3. Lay Out Proof to Establish Legal Elements

a. Fact Witnesses

b. Expert Witnesses

c. Sources of Documents

4. Create Chart

5. Consider Timing Issues

B. Summaries and Chronologies

C. Budgeting

1. Purpose

2. Elements to Consider in Estimating Costs

3. Tasks to Include in Budget

40:2. THE SCOPE OF DISCOVERY

A. General Rule: Relevant, Not Privileged, Calculated to Lead to Admissible Evidence

B. Plaintiffs Require Liberal Discovery

C. Categories of Generally Discoverable Information

1. Documents and Tangible Things

2. Persons With Knowledge of Relevant Facts

3. Trial Witnesses

4. Testifying and Consulting Experts

5. Indemnity and Insuring Agreements

6. Settlement Agreements

7. Witness Statements

8. Potential Parties

9. Contentions

D. Substantive Limits on Scope of Discovery

1. No Fishing Allowed

2. Unit-Level Discovery

a. Discovery Limited to Employing Unit

DISCOVERY

Texas Employment Law 40-2

b. “Committee Exception” Allows Broader Discovery

3. Proportionality

4. Work Product

a. Generally Not Discoverable

b. Exceptions: Discoverable Work Product

5. Privileged Information

a. Common Privileges in Employment Litigation

b. Preserving Privileges

(1) Statement of Withholding

(2) Creation of Privilege Log

(3) Objections May Be Supplemented

(4) Burdens of Proof

E. Procedural Limits on Scope of Discovery

1. Discovery Control Plans

a. What and Why

b. Level 1 Discovery Plans

c. Level 2 Discovery Plans

d. Level 3 Discovery Plans

e. Modif‌ication of Discovery Plans

2. Federal Procedural Limits on Discovery

a. Discovery Conference

b. Rule 16 Scheduling Orders and Pretrial Conferences

c. Mandator y Disclosures

F. Discovery From Non-Parties

40:3. COMMON PROCEDURAL ISSUES

A. Method of Service Affects Response Time

B. Written Discovery Not Filed With Court

C. Supplementation of Responses and Objections

1. Supplemental Responses

2. Supplemental Objections

40:4. REQUEST FOR DISCLOSURE

A. Purpose: Exchange Basic Information

B. Format

C. Timing

D. Responding to Request for Disclosure

1. No Objections

2. Format and Timing

3. Production of Documents

E. Use at Trial

F. Compare: Federal Disclosures

40:5. INTERROGATORIES

A. Scope

B. Contention Interrogatories

C. Procedure

1. Timing

2. Format

3. Number of Interrogatories

D. Responding to Interrogatories

1. Form of Response

a. Written

b. Verif‌ied

DISCOVERY

40-3 Discovery

2. Timing

3. Objections

a. Form

b. Specif‌ic Objections

(1) Excessive Number

(2) Information Regarding Testifying Experts

(3) Marshaling Available Proof

(4) Requests for Production of Documents

4. Use of Responses at Trial

E. Key Areas of Inquiry

1. Prior Suits, Claims and Complaints

2. Criminal Record

3. Identif‌ication of Medical Providers

4. Other Employment

5. Identif‌ication of Key Witnesses

6. Other Income

7. Damages and Attorneys ’ Fees

8. Trial Witnesses and Impeachment Information

9. Bias of Experts

10. Other Employees

11. Corporate Structure and Hierarchy

40:6. REQUESTS FOR ADMISSION

A. Scope and Purpose

B. Procedural Issues

1. Timing

2. Quantity of Requests

C. Drafting Tips and Tools

1. Narrow and Specif‌ic

2. Positive and Negative Assertions

3. Combine With Interrogatories and Requests for Production

4. Admissions Regarding Documents

5. Admissions Regarding Discovery

6. Admissions Regarding Ultimate Issues

D. Responding to Requests for Admission

1. Procedural Issues

a. Timing

b. Caution: Failure to Timely Respond Results in Deemed Admissions

c. Signed, Not Verif‌ied

d. Sanctions

2. Permissible Responses

3. Impermissible Responses May Be Deemed Admissions

a. Qualif‌ied Admissions

b. Bad Faith

c. Evasive Answers

d. Frivolous Objections or Quibbling

e. Preliminary Statements

4. Objections

a. Valid Objections

(1) Privilege or Immunit y

(2) Request Seeks Admission of Law

(3) Premature

(4) State of Mind

(5) Vague, Ambiguous or Overly Broad