Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Attorney-Client Privilege — No Adverse Inference from, Evidence of or Argument Concerning Assertion of Privilege Permitted

In re GM LLC Ignition Switch Litig., 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163255 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 3, 2015):

In its Ninth Motion in Limine, New GM asks the Court to rule that evidence or argument regarding [*383]  New GM's privilege assertions is inadmissible, and to enter an order governing privilege issues at trial. Plaintiff concedes -- as he must, see, e.g., Nabisco, Inc. v. PF Brands, Inc., 191 F.3d 208, 226 (2d Cir. 1999), abrogated on other grounds by Moseley v. V Secret Catalogue, Inc., 537 U.S. 418, 123 S. Ct. 1115, 155 L. Ed. 2d 1 (2003) -- that he may not invoke New GM's privilege assertions in this MDL to encourage the jury to draw an adverse inference from those assertions, so the motion is GRANTED as unopposed to that extent. (See Pls.' Mem. Law Opp'n New GM's Mot. In Limine No. 9 (Docket No. 1704) ("Pl.'s Ninth Opp'n") 1-2). And while Plaintiff does argue that he should be entitled to offer evidence concerning New GM's invocation of the privilege in the Melton litigation in Georgia state court, that argument is foreclosed by the Court's rulings on the MDL Plaintiffs' crime-fraud motion to compel, see In re Gen. Motors LLC Ignition Switch Litig., 14-MD-2543 (JMF), 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 159721, 2015 WL 7574460 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 25, 2015) ("Crime-Fraud Opinion"), and New GM's Tenth Motion in Limine below. Accordingly, New GM's motion is GRANTED to the extent that it seeks to preclude any evidence or argument concerning its invocations of the attorney-client privilege (or related protections, such as the work product doctrine), in this litigation or elsewhere. Relatedly, Plaintiff may not introduce evidence or make [*384]  arguments concerning the crime-fraud allegations made in the motion to compel or the Court's findings, except to the extent permitted by the Court's ruling on New GM's Fifth Motion. (See Docket No. 1770; see also Pl.'s Ninth Opp'n 3).

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