Key Insight: Plaintiff failed to comply with court order by making various misrepresentations about whether all original input files were produced and whether software program changed over time it was used; sanction in form of attorneys’ fees and costs warranted
Nature of Case: Construction litigation
Electronic Data Involved: Software program and input files used to make design calculations
Key Insight: Reversing jury verdict of over $1.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages, court found evidence not legally sufficient to support finding that manager authored offending memorandum; computer experts testified regarding creation of memo, history of revisions and locations of copies
Nature of Case: Former employee sued former employer and managers for libel
Electronic Data Involved: Word document
Key Insight: District court’s refusal to enforce subpoena seeking non-party’s research data affirmed
Nature of Case: Herbicide cancellation proceeding
Electronic Data Involved: Research data regarding toxicity studies of third party
Key Insight: Motion for reconsideration of order granting of summary judgment properly denied where party failed to show that email from repaired server that was produced the day before summary judgment hearing qualified as “newly discovered evidence”
Nature of Case: Action to enforce advertising agreements
Electronic Data Involved: Email
Key Insight: Defendant’s failure to preserve integrity of computer (dropping it repeatedly and apparent tampering, including disconnecting internal cables prior to court-ordered inspection) and failure to produce responsive electronic material warranted monetary sanctions
Nature of Case: Misappropriation of trade secrets
Electronic Data Involved: Hard drive, deleted files, electronically stored invoices
Key Insight: Where plaintiff sought “any document which would evidence the true date when [a particular] entry was actually entered into the computer system,” court ruled that if plaintiff wishes to retain a forensic computer expert at her own expense, she may seek an order that defendant permit the expert to inspect the computer system
Nature of Case: Wrongful termination
Electronic Data Involved: Date of particular data entry in computer system
Key Insight: Where defendants avowed that they were aware of their obligations and have taken and are continuing to take all necessary steps to preserve all potentially relevant electronic evidence, court determined there was no “imminent risk” that any deleted data would be overwritten and rendered irretrievable, and denied plaintiffs’ motion for order lifting automatic stay on discovery for purpose of preserving and restoring deleted email
Nature of Case: Securities class action
Electronic Data Involved: Email allegedly deleted by individual defendant and his subordinates
Key Insight: After jury trial resulted in defense verdict, court ruled on defendant’s outstanding motion for sanctions; pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 37 and its inherent authority, court ordered plaintiff to pay defendant’s total counsel fees, expenses and costs incurred in the litigation (not just those related to discovery issues) amounting to $8,211,287 as sanction for plaintiff’s egregious discovery misconduct
Nature of Case: Dispute over development and license agreement
Electronic Data Involved: Email and other computerized data
Key Insight: Court rejected insurers’ contentions that requested discovery was impossible insofar as they were grounded in the particular manner in which defendants maintain their records and computer systems; cost of discovery to be borne by insurers, but plaintiffs to pay costs of copying documents selected
Nature of Case: Declaratory judgment re insurance coverage
Electronic Data Involved: Insurance information from claim files
Key Insight: Appellate court reversed trial court’s dismissal of suit; backup tape of plaintiff’s earlier court proceeding was public record under state statute and defendants were required to permit plaintiff to examine and inspect the backup tape
Nature of Case: Suit to compel disclosure of public records
Electronic Data Involved: Backup tape containing sound recording of a hearing in a separate lawsuit
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