Lack of Cooperation / Inaccurate Representations – Page 24

Bull v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 665 F.3d (3d Cir. 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Circuit court found that ?producing copies in instances where the originals have been requested may constitute spoliation if it would prevent discovering critical information,? but also found that in the present case the District Court abused its discretion ?in ruling that, within its spoliation analysis, Bull intentionally withheld the original documents from UPS? and further abused its discretion when it imposed the sanction of dismissal with prejudice

Nature of Case: Employment litigation

Electronic Data Involved: Copies of hardcopy doctor’s notes

Oyebade v. Boston Scientific Corp., No. 1:11-cv-0968-JMS-DML, 2012 WL 4020971 (S.D. Ind. Sept. 12, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: For a ?pattern of discovery misconduct, including the spoliation of evidence? (an audio tape of a meeting with HR), the court imposed an adverse inference and ordered the jury be instructed that Plaintiff destroyed the audio recording ?under circumstances that suggest that the contents ? would not be helpful in proving his claims? and further ordered that Plaintiff would not be allowed to present evidence regarding the meeting with HR, that the jury be instructed to accept defendant?s evidence about the meeting, and that defendant was entitled to its attorneys fees and expenses incurred in seeking redress for the spoliation

Nature of Case: Employment discrimination

Electronic Data Involved: Audio tape of meeting with HR

Kolon Indus. v. E.I. Du Pon De Nemours & Co., No. 3:11cv622, 2012 WL 614137 (E.D. Va. Feb. 23, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Court granted defendant?s motion to compel production of ?computer images and dumpster files? for 29 custodians upon finding that the information sought was relevant and that production would not be unduly burdensome

Nature of Case: Patent Infringement

Electronic Data Involved: Computer images and “dumpster files”

St. Louis Produce Mkt. v. Hughes, No. 4:09CV1912 RWS, 2012 WL 4378194 (E.D. Mo. Sept. 25, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: In a case where defendant tried to ?pull a fast one? by altering material terms to a contract and inducing plaintiff to sign it, defendant sought but was repeatedly unable to procure production of defendant?s laptop — which it suspected was used to alter the contract — and when the laptop was produced, it had been substantially damaged. Moreover, evidence indicated that defendant had destroyed relevant cell phone records and emails and that defendant?s counsel made repeated misrepresentations to the court. Thus, the court struck defendant?s pleadings as a sanction.

Nature of Case: Declaratory judgment that contract was invalid because procured by fraud

Electronic Data Involved: Laptop

Chevron Corp. v. Wienberg Group, No. 11-406 (JMF), 2012 WL 4480697 (D.D.C. Sept. 26, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Addressing the state of the ?modern privilege log? Judge Grimm noted the strong trend toward mechanically produced privilege logs with boilerplate information which do not sufficiently describe the documents and the nature of the privilege and ordered defendant to produce factual work product and to properly describe the redacted portions and indicated that he would hold defendant to their 26(g) obligations ?ruthlessly?

Nature of Case: Environmental damages

Electronic Data Involved: Privileged/work product ESI

Wynmoor Cmty. Council, Inc. v. QBE Ins. Co., —F.R.D.—, 2012 WL 716480 (S.D. Fla. Mar. 5, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Court granted motion to allow forensic imaging of plaintiff?s computers for purposes of discovery where plaintiff?s production of ESI was very small, where plaintiff?s CIO admitted he had taken no efforts to retrieve any ESI, and where it was established that ESI may be present on plaintiff?s computers?possibly including electronic copies of hard copy documents which may have been shredded; court?s order called for court-appointed forensic expert to conduct examination and established other protocols to be followed

Nature of Case: Breach of insurance contract

Electronic Data Involved: ESI

Short v. Manhattan Apartments, Inc., —F. Supp. 2d—, 2012 WL 4829615 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 11, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: For failure to produce unredacted database entries despite three court orders to do so, court found that defendant had acted in bad faith to withhold relevant documents and, as a sanction, ordered that facts be established in plaintiffs? favor, namely that the rental listing database included directives from landlords that clients receiving government housing assistance should not be assisted in applying for housing with those landlords; court also ordered defendant to pay Plaintiffs $231,000 in attorneys fees

Nature of Case: Housing discrimination

Electronic Data Involved: Database

Pouncil v. Branch Law Firm, No. 10-1314-JTM-DJW, 2012 WL 777500 (D. Kan. Mar. 7, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Where evidence indicated that defendant?s responses to discovery were incomplete, court ordered defendant to ?proceed with the forensic search of their computer systems using protocols agreed upon by the parties? but declined to compel defendant to bear the cost of the examination until final costs were known; defendant was also ordered to institute a litigation hold where defendant?s deposition testimony established that none had previously been issued

Nature of Case: Malpractice

Electronic Data Involved: ESI

Coral Group Inc. v. Shell Oil Co., No. 4:05-CV-0633-DGK, 2012 WL 4569468 (W.D. Mo. Sept. 30, 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: For intentional spoliation resulting in irreparable prejudice, including a ?discernible pattern? of efforts to deprive Plaintiffs of relevant financial information contained on the computer of Plaintiff?s outside accountant and the failure to preserve other data, the court ordered that plaintiff?s claims were dismissed with prejudice

Nature of Case: Fraud, breach of contract

Electronic Data Involved: ESI

Lake Village Healthcare Ctr., LLC v. Hatchett, 407 S.W. 3d 521 (Ark. 2012)

Dec 01 2012

Key Insight: Trial court did not err when it struck part of defendants’ answers as sanction for discovery violations where trial court’s order specifically detailed the opportunities afforded defendants to either comply with the email request or furnish a basis upon which the court could determine they were trying to comply with the request, and trial court found that defendants failed to produce the emails in response to the discovery request, failed to produce the emails when ordered by the court, failed to timely notify the court of compliance problems, failed to furnish sufficient information of their good faith efforts, and failed to furnish information regarding when compliance could be expected

Nature of Case: Wrongful death, negligence, breach of fiduciary and confidential duty, medical malpractice

Electronic Data Involved: Email

Tag:Lack of Cooperation / Inaccurate Representations