Discovery

• Author: Rogge Dunn and Joel 'Ty' Gomez
• Pages: 627-702

40-1

Chapter 40

DISCOVERY

Co-Authored 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

TEXAS EMPLOYMENT LAW 40-2

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

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. Mandatory 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

40-3 DISCOVERY

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

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