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Full-Text Articles in Law

The Discovery Sombrero And Other Metaphors For Litigation, William H. J. Hubbard Sep 2015

The Discovery Sombrero And Other Metaphors For Litigation, William H. J. Hubbard

Catholic University Law Review

Little is known about discovery costs in civil litigation, particularly in regard to preservation—the duty to preserve relevant information when litigation is reasonably anticipated. This article is one of the first to present and analyze empirical evidence on the nature and costs of preservation and discovery. Using this data, the author proposes three new metaphors for civil litigation: the discovery sombrero, the preservation iceberg, and the long tail of litigation costs. These metaphors help demonstrate the sometimes surprising ways that the Erie doctrine, the role of technology in litigation, and the Federal Rules’ commitment to transsubstantivity interact with current challenges …


Can Simple Mechanism Design Results Be Used To Implement The Proportionality Standard In Discovery?, Jonah B. Gelbach Sep 2015

Can Simple Mechanism Design Results Be Used To Implement The Proportionality Standard In Discovery?, Jonah B. Gelbach

All Faculty Scholarship

I point out that the Coase theorem suggests there should not be wasteful discovery, in the sense that the value to the requester is less than the cost to the responder. I use a toy model to show that a sufficiently informed court could design a mechanism under which the Coasean prediction is borne out. I then suggest that the actual information available to courts is too little to effect this mechanism, and I consider alternatives. In discussing mechanisms intended to avoid wasteful discovery where courts have limited information, I emphasize the role of normative considerations.


Ethical Responsibility And Legal Liability Of Lawyers For Failure To Institute Or Monitor Litigation Holds, Nathan M. Crystal Jun 2015

Ethical Responsibility And Legal Liability Of Lawyers For Failure To Institute Or Monitor Litigation Holds, Nathan M. Crystal

Akron Law Review

The ethical and legal basis for subjecting counsel to discipline or liability for failing to initiate or implement litigation holds in connection with ESI exists. Recent important cases, while not imposing discipline or liability on counsel, have continued to lay the ground work for such liability. ...Cases in which counsel are held liable for damages to their clients or subject to discipline for failing to comply with well established ESI discovery obligations will not be long in coming as the new approach to winning litigation through discovery continues to develop.


Product Liability Law In Japan: An Introduction To A Developing Area Of Law, Younghee Jin Ottley, Bruce L. Ottley Mar 2015

Product Liability Law In Japan: An Introduction To A Developing Area Of Law, Younghee Jin Ottley, Bruce L. Ottley

Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law

No abstract provided.


Preparing For Your Rule 26(F) Conference When Esi Is Involved - And Isn't Esi Always Involved?, Amii N. Castle Jan 2015

Preparing For Your Rule 26(F) Conference When Esi Is Involved - And Isn't Esi Always Involved?, Amii N. Castle

Amii n Castle

In most civil cases filed today, discovery is likely to include electronically stored information (“ESI”). This article details the steps counsel must take when a lawsuit filed, and the article gives particularized instruction on ESI at each juncture. The article discusses the following steps: At Step One, the judge issues an initial scheduling order, which puts into motion several deadlines: the Rule 26(f) conference, the date to submit the parties’ planning report, and the Rule 16 Conference. Step Two directs attorneys to talk to their own clients about ESI that is relevant to the case. Questions are suggested, such as: …