JW Gaming Development, LLC v. James

Background

JW Gaming Development, LLC filed a document titled “Statement re Discovery (Separate),” presenting seven discovery disputes. The disputes concerned the adequacy of responses to interrogatories, document requests, and requests for admission, along with deposition requests and a third-party subpoena. JW Gaming Development stated that the defendants had refused to participate in the letter brief and that a unilateral filing was warranted because the disputes had been ongoing and other issues were imminent.

Applicable procedure

Section 13 of the court’s General Standing Order requires discovery disputes to be presented in a jointly filed letter brief of no more than five pages. The order also addresses what a moving party should do if it cannot obtain the opposing party’s portion of a joint letter. JW Gaming Development instead filed an 18-page letter brief on its own. The court reminded the parties that discovery motions should be filed only in extraordinary situations involving truly significant interests.

Ruling

The court DENIED JW Gaming Development’s motion, identified as docket number 139. It ORDERED the parties to meet and confer in person no later than Monday, November 18, 2019, in a good-faith effort to resolve or narrow the seven disputes. If any disputes remained, the court ORDERED the parties to file a joint letter brief complying with Section 13 of the General Standing Order no later than 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 19, 2019. The order did not decide the underlying discovery disputes.