Law Commons^™

#Nofilter: How Discovery Filter Teams Breach Privilege Rights And Why They Require Stricter Regulation, Kelly Murray

Global Business Law Review

This note examines the Supreme Court’s substantial need to weigh in on how filter teams should be used given current circuit splits and identifies several best practices to remedy the issues they currently present. Part I discusses the principal issues for which filter teams are scrutinized. Namely, numerous district courts hold that filter teams provide the government with the unfair advantage of determining which materials from their opposing counsel are privileged. This often leads to an overly broad inclusion of privileged documents, which can violate defendants’ Sixth Amendment rights to a fair and complete trial. Some courts even go so …

The Shifting Sands Of Cost Shifting, Andrew M. Pardieck

Cleveland State Law Review

The cost-shifting analysis employed by the federal courts in ruling on discovery disputes is flawed. There is tremendous variability in how courts interpret the factors guiding the analysis. There is tremendous variability in the information courts rely on in deciding whether to preclude the discovery or shift its costs. The result is waste for the litigants, courts, and society as a whole. This Article argues that there is a better way: mandate cooperation before cost shifting. The courts should condition proportionality and cost-shifting rulings on cooperation. The cooperation should be substantive: require disclosure of objective information about the disputed discovery …

Regulatory Responses To Data Privacy Crises And Their Ongoing Impact On E-Discovery, Teo Marzano

Global Business Law Review

This note argues that advancements in technology and data analysis have reduced the efficacy of the legal data privacy framework in the United States. Furthermore, foreign law blocking statutes expose litigants and corporations to increased data liability. Indeed, not only do consumers lack adequate legal remedies, but litigants face uncertain legal liability and increased costs. Simply put, updated technology requires updated laws. Better data management protects consumers and data value. A legal framework with clear guidelines for protecting data is needed.

Still, data access is integral to litigation, and courts must balance the need for data against the need for …

Discovery Of Information And Documents From A Litigant's Former Employees: Synergy And Synthesis Of Civil Rules, Ethical Standards, Privilege Doctrines, And Common Law Principles, Susan J. Becker

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

The goal of this Article is to untangle some of the issues surrounding the recurring dilemmas posed by discovery of information held by former employees. Part II of this Article elucidates the competing interests of the litigators, their respective clients, the courts, and the potential witnesses when discovery is sought from former employees of a party. Part III provides a brief overview of the various legal authorities that govern an attorney's discovery of former employees and the synergy created by these sources. Part IV examines the potential pitfalls attorneys encounter when pursuing informal discovery of former employees of a party. …

Conducting Informal Discovery Of A Party's Former Employees: Legal And Ethical Concerns And Constraints, Susan J. Becker

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This Article identifies and critiques existing sources of confusion in the law and proposes revised and alternative discovery procedures to provide equal access to information possessed by ex-employees, while simultaneously safeguarding the integrity of that information. Its primary emphasis is on federal jurisprudence, although important points of consensus and departure between state and federal law are noted, as appropriate. Part I explains the issues that arise in informal discovery, and the difficulties with clearly resolving those issues given the conflicting state of the law. Part II discusses application of the attorney-client privilege to communications between corporate counsel and former employees, …

The Discovery Of Medical Records Maintained By Health Care Facilities: Inconsistent Law In Need Of Legislative Correction, Susan O. Scheutzow, Anthea R. Daniels

Journal of Law and Health

This article will review current law in Ohio regarding the protection of medical records maintained by Ohio health care facilities. The Ohio law of privileged communications between health care professionals and patients also will be traced to show how only communications between patients and their physicians, dentists, psychologists, and social workers are currently protected. Since similar public policy reasons may apply to the protection of communications between a wider range of health care professionals and their patients as those communications with physicians, dentists, psychologists, and social workers, this article will discuss why the public policy reasons supporting the initial adoption …

The Virtues Of Redundancy In Legal Thought, Randy E. Barnett

Cleveland State Law Review

Redundancy has a bad reputation among legal intellectuals. My interest in the virtues of redundancy grows out of my interest in the social function of the liberal conception of justice and the rule of law. In this essay, I propose that legal theorists pay serious attention to the concept of redundancy used by engineers. I explain how redundancy-in this special sense-is essential to any intellectual enterprise in which we try to reach action-guiding conclusions, including the enterprise of law. I will describe the virtues of redundancy in legal thought. I want to explain why it is useful to rely on …

Application Of The Discovery Rule To The Ohio Wrongful Death Statute, Edward J. Leonard

Journal of Law and Health

The focus of this note will be on the statute of limitations applicable to the Ohio wrongful death statute. This statute requires that any claim for wrongful death be brought within two years of the date of death. Application of the discovery rule to the wrongful death statute would allow an action to be brought within two years of discovering that the death was the result of a wrongful act.

Peer Review Committee Minutes And Memoranda: Non-Discoverable At All Costs, Howard S. Rabb

Journal of Law and Health

The purpose of this article is to illustrate the inherent problems of blanket peer review confidentiality and to suggest a more equitable approach. Part I traces the deveopment of reviewing hospital quality and explains the operation and justifications of peer review committees. In Part II, the arguments supporting confidentiality are compared with the public policy favoring proper disposition of corporate negligence cases in order to determine and recommend the correct level of confidentiality. In Part III, the peer review discovery statute in section 2305.251 of the Ohio Revised COde is critically evaluated for its practical value to the advancement of …

Civil Rights By Default, Barbara Kaye Besser, Charles Guerrier

Cleveland State Law Review

It is the intention of this article to discuss the existing devices available to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to compel a respondent to provide the relevant factual information requested; to point out the inadequacies of these procedures; and to propose an additional method to effectuate a speedy resolution of the controversies before the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

Organzied Scientific Research And Intellectual Property, Rathuel L. Mccollum

Cleveland State Law Review

Organized research and planned invention by highly trained specialists are now fundamental parts of the American scene. Invention-to-order has become "big business" with all of its ramifications. The purpose of this article is to analyze some of the legal problems associated with inventions and patents that come into being as a result of scientific research.

Safeguards Against Unjust Awards, Robert F. Hanley, Robert E. Mason

Cleveland State Law Review

It is submitted that if courts are willing to assume the responsibility of imposing liability without fault, they must recognize the importance of holding plaintiffs to the burdens of proof which they have traditionally been required to bear. There is no valid social, economic, or legal theory which justifies a relaxation of these standards of proof under either theory oftort or express warranty. Particularly in the latter instance, where remote purchasers having no contact with the defendant are permitted to maintain actions without a showing of negligence, such relaxation can only encourage a multiplicity of spurious claims.