Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Expedited Discovery — Good Cause — Required Showing

From Giltnane v. TVA, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6734 (E.D. Tenn. Jan. 30, 2009), quoting In re Paradise Valley Holdings, Inc., No. 03-34704, 2005 Bankr. LEXIS 2951 (Bankr. E.D. Tenn. Dec. 29, 2005):

"'Although [Rule 26(d)] does not say so, it is implicit that some showing of good cause should be made to justify [an order allowing expedited discovery].'" Mitra v. State Bank of India, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19138, at *26 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 6, 2005) (quoting Charles Alan Wright, et al., 8 FEDERAL PRACTICE & PROCEDURE CIVIL § 2046.1 at 592 (2d ed. 1994)). "[W]here a plaintiff seeks expedited discovery to prepare for a preliminary injunction hearing, it makes sense to examine the discovery request, as we have done, on the entirety of the record to date and the reasonableness of the request in light of all of the surrounding circumstances[.]" Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith v. O'Connor, 194 F.R.D. 618, 624 (N.D. Ill. 2000). "Because [e]xpedited discovery is not the norm[, the] Plaintiff must make some prima facie showing of the need for the expedited discovery." O'Connor, 194 F.R.D. at 623. Additionally, when applying the good cause standard, "the court should consider the scope of the requested discovery." Qwest Commc'ns Int'l Inc. v. Worldquest Networks, Inc., 213 F.R.D. 418, 420 (D. Colo. 2003).

"Good cause may be found where the plaintiff's need for expedited discovery outweighs the possible prejudice or hardship to the defendant." Metal Bldg. Components, LP v. Caperton, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28854, at *10 (D.N.M. Apr. 2, 2004). Good cause is usually found in cases involving requests for injunctive relief, challenges to personal jurisdiction, class actions, and claims of infringement and unfair competition. See Mitra, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19138, at *26; Dimension Data N. Am., Inc. v. NetStar-1, Inc., 226 F.R.D. 528, 531 (E.D.N.C. 2005); Whitfield v. Hochsheid, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12661, at *4 (S.D. Ohio June 27, 2002); Pod-Ners, LLC v. N. Feed & Bean of Lucerne, LLC, 204 F.R.D. 675, 676 (D. Colo. 2002). Nevertheless, "[Rule 26(d)] protects defendants from unwarily incriminating themselves before they have a chance to review the facts of the case and to retain counsel. This important protection maintains the fairness of civil litigation. Courts should not grant leave without some showing of the necessity for expedited discovery. The court must protect defendants from unfairly expedited discovery." Notaro v. Koch, 95 F.R.D. 403, 405 (S.D.N.Y. 1982) (internal citation omitted).

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