03 December

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Insurer’s Claim File Not Categorically Privileged

A recent appeal (petition for a writ of certiorari) in a property insurance coverage dispute supports two important points regarding discovery disputes in insurance coverage cases, particularly regarding an insurer's claim file. First, “certiorari review is appropriate for discovery dispute orders requiring production of allegedly privileged documents.” Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Ins. Co., Inc. v. Thompson, 48 Fla.L.Weekly D2218e (Fla. 1st DCA 2023). Second, there is NOT a categorical privilege on an insurer’s claims files. “Documents in claims and underwriting files are not automatically work product. The insurer did not argue or prove that the requested documents were prepared in anticipation...

05 February

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Pure Bill of Discovery – NOT for Purposes of Fishing Expedition

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery

In unique and limited equitable circumstances, a party can file a lawsuit for what is referred to as a pure bill of discovery. “In the absence of an adequate legal remedy, equity has long authorized a pure bill of discovery as an appropriate remedy to obtain information such as the identity of a proper party defendant or the appropriate legal theory for relief.” A bill of discovery may also be used “to obtain information necessary for meeting a condition precedent to filing suit.” However, this Court has made clear that a pure bill of discovery does not lie “to substantiate one's...

26 June

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FINANCIAL DISCOVERY FROM EXPERT WITNESSES TO SHOW BIAS

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery

It is not uncommon for experts to work with the same law firm on numerous cases. Does this mean an expert can be subjected to discovery to produce a list of cases and money received (financial records) from the law firm on unrelated matters to show the expert is biased? The Third District Court of Appeals held that a party cannot pursue such documentation without a showing “of the most unusual or compelling circumstances,” a potentially challenging showing. See Hidalgo v. Citizens Property Ins. Corp., 46 Fla.L.Weekly D1437a (Fla. 3d DCA 2021). This does not mean a party cannot seek discovery...

27 March

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Appealing a Discovery Order Requiring the Production of Work Product

Posted by David Adelstein

in Appeal, Discovery

A party moves for a petition for a writ of certiorari when appealing a discovery order. “To obtain a writ of certiorari, the petitioner must establish that the discovery order was a departure from the essential requirements of law resulting in a material injury that will affect the remainder of the proceedings below and the injury cannot be corrected on appeal.” Onward Living Recovery Community, LLC v. Mormeneo, 46 Fla.L.Weekly D637a (Fla. 3d DCA 2021). One example of “material injury,” otherwise referred to as “irreparable harm” is when the trial court orders the production of work product material (protected material prepared...

15 November

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3-Step Process to Determine Production of Document under Trade Secret Privilege

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery, Trial Perspectives

During the discovery phase of litigation, a party will serve a request for documents on the opposing party. The request for documents will include numerous categories of documents. The responding party will then identify whether it will produce the documents or whether it will not due to a privilege or another legal objection. A hearing will then need to be conducted to determine the merits of the privilege or objection. One such privilege a party may raise is that the requested documents fall within the trade secret privilege. Such documents would be itemized on a privilege log and would identify trade...

10 May

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Appeal of Discovery Order — Not so Easy!

Posted by David Adelstein

in Appeal, Discovery

In litigation, there will be disputes as to the scope and perceived relevance of discovery (e.g., scope of document production, depositions, and interrogatory answers). It may not occur in every case, but it will occur. There is no such thing as discovery orders always going in your favor. Not possible. Some discovery orders entered against you are understandable. Others lead to a certain amount of frustration. And, others leave you with consternation such that you feel that you need to appeal based on the perceived prejudice. The appeal of a discovery order, however, is through a petition for writ of...

01 September

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Apex Doctrine to Prevent Deposition of High Ranking Official in Corporate Context

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery

There is a doctrine referred to as the Apex doctrine to prevent the deposition of a high ranking official. The Apex doctrine stands for the proposition that “[an] agency head should not be subject to deposition, over objection, unless and until the opposing parties have exhausted other discovery and can demonstrate that the agency head is uniquely able to provide relevant information which cannot be obtained from other sources.” Suzuki Motor Corp. v. Winckler, 44 Fla.L.Weekly D2219a (Fla. 1stDCA 2019) (citation omitted). Stated another way: “[A] party seeking to depose a . . . high-ranking governmental official must demonstrate the personal involvement of the official in a material...

28 July

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Delay Tactics may Not Work to Avoid Dispositive Summary Judgment Ruling

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery, Trial Perspectives

Delay tactics do not always work to avoid a dispositive summary judgment ruling, particularly when the tactics have no justifiable basis. And, frankly, delay tactics should not work as an intentional means to delay the inevitable. This was discovered by a commercial condominium owner in Weisser Realty Group, Inc. v. Porto Vita Property Owners Association, Inc., 44 Fla. L. Weekly D1094a (Fla. 3d DCA 2019), where the trial court granted a foreclosure summary judgment against it. In this case, a commercial condominium owner purchased a condominium unit in a condominium that had residential units and select commercial units. Residential units...

12 August

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Writ of Certiorari to Remedy Pre-Trial Discovery Order

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery, Standard of Review

Sometimes, a trial court issues a pre-trial order on a discovery issue that a party claims causes it irreparable harm. In this situation, the only basis to appeal the pre-trial discovery order is through a petition for writ of certiorari, as recently explained by the Second District Court of Appeal: A party seeking review of a pretrial discovery order must show that the trial court's order departed from the essential requirements of law and caused material injury to the petitioner throughout the remainder of the proceedings below, effectively leaving no adequate remedy on appeal. Generally, certiorari is not available to review orders...

19 June

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Note on Discovery in Litigation

Posted by David Adelstein

in Discovery, Evidence

Here is a quick note on discovery in litigation (e.g., document requests, depositions, interrogatories). An objective of discovery is to discover information that is reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. In other words, just because the discovery appears irrelevant does not necessarily mean that pursuing such discovery will not reasonably lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. By taking a more liberal approach to the discovery process, hopefully, some of the unfortunate gamesmanship that occurs during discovery is eliminated or reduced. In particular, parties should not be able to unilaterally dictate what they believe is relevant to...