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Good Cause Is Bad Medicine For The New E-Discovery Rules, Henry S. Noyes

Henry S. Noyes

This Article takes a critical look at the e-discovery amendments to Rule 26(b)(2) that provide that electronically stored information that is “not reasonably accessible” shall be discoverable only if the requesting party can establish good cause. The intent of these amendments was to limit the cost and burden of discovery and to ensure that similarly situated litigants are treated similarly with respect to discovery of electronically stored information. I conclude that the e-discovery amendments to Rule 26(b)(2) will be ineffective because they increase judicial discretion—likely leading to disparate treatment of similarly situated litigants—while providing no new protection against the cost …