Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Experts — Deposition Supplements Report

One of the plaintiffs’ experts in B.H. v. Gold Fields Mining Corp., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4612 (N.D. Okla. Jan. 22, 2007), testified at his deposition to a theory not set forth in his Rule 26(a)(2)(B) report. The District Court concluded that the new theory was not trivial but constituted ‛a significant extension of [the] generic opinion“ set forth in the expert’s report. The Court held that the new opinion ‛should automatically be excluded under Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(c)(1).“ There is, however, a carve-out from the preclusion remedy in Rule 37(c)(1) if the omitted expert testimony has ‛otherwise been made known to the other parties during the discovery process or in writing,“ under Rule 26(e)(1). An expert deposition is a prime example of ‛ma[king] known“ the expert’s opinion ‛during the discovery process.“ Here, that appears to have happened. Therefore, exclusion under Rule 37(c)(1) appears less appropriate than the judge’s alternative holding that the new opinion did not satisfy Daubert/Fed.R.Evid. 702. B.H. is, though, a sharp reminder of the importance of completeness in preparing expert reports in federal court.

Share this article:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Recent Posts

(1) Appellate Review of Inherent Power Sanctions (7th Circuit): Factual Findings Reviewed for Clear Error, Choice of Sanction for Abuse of Discretion — 4-Element Test for Reversal; (2) Sanctions and Class Actions: Monetary Sanctions Properly Imposed on Defendants for Improper Communications with Class Members (Represented Parties) — “[I]f The Class And The Class Opponent Are Involved In An Ongoing Business Relationship, Communications From The Class Opponent To The Class May Be Coercive” (Good Quote); (3) Monetary Sanctions under Goodyear v. Haeger: If Same Fact-Gathering Would Have Been Conducted Absent The Misconduct, No But-For Causation — But Only “Rough Justice” Required, “Not Accountant-Like Precision” (Good Quote) — Once Misconduct Is Clear, Time Spent Ferreting It Out Compensable under Goodyear; (4) Goodyear Did Not Overrule Long-Standing Rule That Courts May Impose Modest Civil Monetary Sanctions to Curb Litigation Abuse; (5) Appellate Jurisdiction Lacking Where Sanctioned Attorney Fails to File Notice of Appeal and Lawyer’s Intent to Appeal Not Apparent from Client’s Notice; (5) Rule 11 Improper Purpose — Party May Have Many Purposes for Pursuing Claim — As Long As Claim Is Supported by Good Faith Belief in the Merits, “A Parallel Reason Does Not Violate Rule 11” — To Deny A Motion for Sanctions, The District Court Need Not Address Every Argument: “Arguments Clearly Without Merit Can, And For The Sake Of Judicial Economy Should, Be Passed Over In Silence” (Good Quote); Non-Monetary Sanction on Counsel: Complete Twice The Required Amount Of Professional Responsibility Hours For Her Next Continuing Legal Education Cycle Imposed By The State Bar

Archives