In Fulton v. Livingston Financial LLC, 2016 WL 3976558 (W.D. Wash. July 25, 2016), U.S. District Judge James L. Robart sanctioned a defense lawyer who “inexcusabl[y]” relied on outdated case law and pre-2015 amendments to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b) in motion practice before the court.

On April 13, 2015, Plaintiff (Richard Fulton) filed suit against Defendants for
Continue Reading Judge Finds Defense Counsel’s Reliance upon Pre-Amendment Rule 26 in a Motion to Compel the Equivalent of Bad Faith – Resulting in Significant and Embarrassing Sanctions

We all know that it can be damaging to one’s case if a party to a litigation fails to preserve relevant information.  But when, exactly, does one’s duty to preserve (potentially relevant information) arise?  And what type of sanctions are federal courts imposing under the amended federal rules for preservation failures?

When Does One’s Duty to Preserve Arise?

Different jurisdictions

Continue Reading Failure to Preserve Emails Results in Sanctions

Clear-View Technologies, Inc. v John H. Rasnick, et al (2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 63579), reads as a list of the things you do not want to do if you want to avoid spoliation sanctions. The underlying dispute involved the development of an alcohol tracking product, and certain shareholders’ alleged conspiracy to steal the technology and start a new company.

Continue Reading Don’t Use “Crap Cleaner” When a Motion to Compel Is Pending, and Other Lessons Learned, to Ensure You Don’t Get Hit With a Spoliation Sanction