Cases: Discovery

Appealability, Discovery, Sanctions: $3,456.70 In Fee Sanctions Based On Denial Of Postjudgment Discovery Order Upheld On Appeal

Cases: Appealability, Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

Motion Denying Discovery Order Is Nonappealable, But 2/8 DCA Treated It As Mandate Petition; CCP § 128.5 Principles Were Not Involved, Because Discovery Sanctions Were At Issue Instead.             The 2/8 DCA in Dalessandro v. Mitchell, Case No. B293472 (2d Dist., Div. 8 Dec. 17, 2019 unpublished), but certified for publication on January 3, 2020, […]

Discovery, Sanctions: Failure To Designate The Deposition Video In The Appellate Court Doomed Challenge To $11,000 Sanction For Unilaterally Terminating A Videotaped Deposition

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

Motion To Augment The Record To Include The Video, One Day After The Appellate Argument, Was Deemed Untimely.             Genesis Media, LLC v. Misle, Case No. B294620 (2d Dist., Div. 3 Sept. 10, 2019) (unpublished) is an appeal from a discovery sanction where an inadequate appellate record and untimely motion to augment sealed the fate

Appealability, Discovery: Appeal From Final Judgment Does Preserve Challenges To Discovery Rulings.

Cases: Appealability, Cases: Discovery

2/4 DCA Finds Persuasive Reasoning From Prior 2/8 Decision On This Issue.             We found Baiul-Farina v. Crown Media Holdings, Inc., Case No. B279653 (2d Dist., Div. 4 Aug. 21, 2019) (unpublished) interesting, not because it affirmed discovery sanctions rulings, but for its discussion on appealability.  Appellant argued that discovery sanctions rulings were not appealable

Discovery, Family Law: $2,500 Discovery Sanctions Order Reversed In Favor Of Responding, Prevailing Party Because No Competent Declaration Of Incurred Expenses Was Presented

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Family Law

CCP § 2023.040 Was The Key Statutory Provision.             Just to show you that technicalities can matter in the discovery area, the First District, Division 2 reversed a $2,500 discovery sanction against ex-wife in Marriage of Stupp v. Schilders, Case No. A154396 (1st Dist., Div. 2 July 10, 2019) (unpublished).  What happened is that a

Discovery, Family Law: Family Law Judges, On Discovery Matters Rather Than OSC Matters, Can Issue Sanctions Based On Declaration Testimony

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Family Law

No Oral Testimony Required Under The Circumstances.             We found Marriage of Clarke and Akel, Case No. A151888 (1st Dist., Div. 5 Dec. 11, 2018) (unpublished) to be an interesting case given that it involved an intersection between family law and civil discovery procedures.             The essence of the matter was a discovery dispute between

Discovery, Reasonableness Of Fees: 6 DCA Remands Determination For Prevailing Party Under Subpoena To Look Again At Amount Of Fees To Be Awarded

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Reasonableness of Fees

CCP § 1987.2 Prevailing Party Fees In Subpoena Context Might Depend On Who Met Litigation Objectives, Although The Test Is Not Crystal Clear.             John/Jane Roe v. Halbig, Case No. H043248 (6th Dist. Nov. 20, 2018) (published) is an interesting, but somewhat perplexing, opinion on the fees to be awarded to a party which ultimately

Discovery/Sanctions: Plaintiff In Pro Per Attorney Properly Imposed With Discovery Sanctions Of $5,510 (Inclusive Of Attorney’s Fees) Under CCP § 2030.300(d)

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

Appellate Court Rejects In Pro Per’s Due Process Argument And Challenge To Temporary Judge’s Initial Assignment To Motion Matter.             DeWitt v. HSBC Bank USA, N.A., Case No. A151545 (1st Dist., Div. 2 June 22, 2018) (unpublished) is a situation where an in pro per attorney, representing himself as plaintiff, sued several defendants in a

Discovery, Family Law, Sanctions: $5,500 Discovery Sanctions Award Against Ex-Client Attorney Reversed Where Attorney Not Given Notice She Was A “Sanctions Target”

Cases: Discovery, Cases: Family Law, Cases: Sanctions

Due Process Violation Was Reason For Reversal.              In Marriage of Mehta & Grover, Case No. A146919 (1st Dist., Div. 4 June 19, 2018) (unpublished), a $5,500 discovery sanction against an ex-attorney for wife was reversed on due process grounds. What happened was that before the discovery sanctions motion was decided, attorney was relieved as

Appealability/Discovery/Sanctions:  Separate Discovery Sanctions Cannot Be Aggregated For Purposes Of Meeting $5,000 Appealability Threshold

Cases: Appealability, Cases: Discovery, Cases: Sanctions

Two Separate Sanctions Below $5,000 Cannot Be Aggregated For Appealability Purposes.             In Mitchell Anthony Productions, LLC v. Baron, Case No. B282974 (2d Dist., Div. 5 Mar. 28, 2018) (unpublished), the trial judge awarded $4,860 in discovery sanctions on separate motions to compel further discovery responses to the interrogatories and requests

Costs/Discovery:  Expenses For Activities Associated With Production Of Electronically Stored Documents Properly Awarded As Discretionary Costs Under CCP § 1033.5(c)

Cases: Costs, Cases: Discovery

$150,449.49 Was Costs Award To The Successful Defendant.             Litigators at both the federal and state levels are fully aware of the expense which has been added to litigation based on having to produce electronically documents/information in cases (also known as “ESI”).  The next opinion demonstrates that ESI expenses can be recouped by a successful

Scroll to Top