A motion for spoliation sanctions under Fed.R.Civ.P. 37(e) was denied in Boshea v. Compass Marketing, Inc., 2024 WL 811468 (D. Md. Feb. 27, 2024). The motion was argued and decided during trial. The suit by a former...more
3/4/2024
/ Discovery ,
Document Productions ,
Duty to Preserve ,
e-Discovery Professionals ,
Electronic Communications ,
Electronically Stored Information ,
Email ,
Evidence ,
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure ,
Sanctions ,
Text Messages
Privilege logs have been getting a lot of attention, with good reason. “Privilege logging is arguably the most burdensome and time consuming task a litigant faces during the document production process.” The Sedona...more
Can a witness authenticate a video if the video contains images that the witness did not see? In Md. Supreme Court to rule on Baltimore criminal case involving video authentication – Maryland Daily Record...more
The Hon. Paul W. Grimm (ret.) has written about the organized Bar’s duty to support the judiciary from unwarranted attacks. OpEd: Legal Profession Must ‘Speak Out’ Against Unfair Attacks (duke.edu)(Oct. 24, 2023)....more
2/23/2024
/ Child Safety ,
Data Protection ,
Discovery ,
e-Discovery Professionals ,
Electronically Stored Information ,
Judges ,
Maryland ,
Minor Children ,
Personal Information ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Safety Standards
In ‘Rust’ Armorer’s Phone Snafu Shows Risks Of Texting Clients – Law360 (Feb. 13, 2024), Phillip Bantz wrote: “A legal dust-up over compromised text messages between a movie prop weapons expert and her lawyer in the ‘Rust’...more
2/21/2024
/ Attorney-Client Privilege ,
Cell Phones ,
Data Preservation ,
Discovery ,
e-Discovery Professionals ,
Electronically Stored Information ,
Evidence ,
Legal Ethics ,
Privileged Communication ,
Public Records ,
Text Messages
Long ago, when my wife, Patricia, and I were looking for a house, we abandoned the term “master bedroom” in favor of “main bedroom.” Bloomberg Law reports that: The American Bar Association is asking the federal judiciary...more
In Ogunsula v. Warrenfeltz, 2024 WL 298984 (D. Md. Jan. 25, 2024), the Court recognized a split of authority and addressed the interplay between Rule 37(a)’s maxim that “evasive and incomplete” discovery responses are deemed...more
In Attys Split On 5th Circ.’s Proposed AI, Accuracy-Check Rule – Law360 (Jan. 30, 2024), Lauren Berg reported on the current status of a 5th Circuit proposed A.I. rule. Ms. Berg’s article stated that reactions “span from one...more
In Client escapes sanction for lawyer’s refusal to appear on camera in Zoom deposition (abajournal.com)(Jan. 25, 2024,), Debra C. Weiss reported on Agnone v. Agnone, 2024 WL 242488 (Cal. App., 2d Dist., Jan. 23,...more
In a prior blog, And When I Die…. What Happens to My Social Media?, I discussed Maryland’s “Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act” (“MFADAA”). The statute permits the “user” of “digital assets” to authorize a designee to...more
“Self-collection” is often viewed as prohibited. Abraham Maslow said that: “I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail.” This blog addresses a methodology...more
In Pointer v. State, 2024 WL 70556(Apl. Ct. Md. Jan. 5, 2024)(unreported). the Appellate Court of Maryland held that disclosure of text messages the day before a criminal trial did not prejudice the defendant. One...more
In Hernandez v. La Fortaleza, Inc., 2024 WL 65217 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. Jan. 5, 2024)(per curiam), plaintiffs’ slip and fall claim was dismissed with prejudice, and attorneys’ fees were also awarded, due to improper...more
In Discovery Violation Requires New Civil Rights Trial Against Cop (bloomberglaw.com)(Jan. 3, 2024), Mr. Bernie Pazanowski reported on Morgan v. Tincher, No. 21-2060, __ F.4th __ (4th Cir. Jan. 3, 2024). In short, plaintiff...more
Oliver Hardy, of Laurel and Hardy fame, said: “Well, here’s another nice mess you’ve gotten me into!” That’s what happened with the citation of three non-existent cases in a motion for early termination of supervised release...more
“ESI Protocols” are discussed in judicial opinions, articles, webinars, and blogs. They are flexible and useful; however, they may not meet all of the requirements of Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(f). After a Rule 26(f) conference, that...more
Parties can live with a good call or a bad one, but they need the balls and strikes called promptly. The United States District Court for the District of Maryland has established several processes for avoiding discovery...more
One role of an attorney handling ESI is to function as a translator between computer scientists and forensic experts, on the one hand, and laypersons, such as clients and Judges, on the other....more
In Francois v. State, 2023 WL 8265659, at *1 (Apl. Ct. Md. Nov. 30, 2023), the defendant was charged with various offenses that included possession of a firearm and ammunition after a disqualifying conviction. On appeal, the...more
In Brooks-Anderson v. State, 2023 WL 3834829 (Apl. Ct. Md. Jun. 6, 2023)(unreported), defendant had been convicted of theft from Loomis Armored U.S., a cash transport company. The victim was the former-employer of the...more
Some courts have issued Standing Orders governing the use of A.I. Another viewpoint is that a better approach is to use Local Rules. See Shweta Watwe, Judges Reflect on GenAI Use One Year After ChatGPT’s Debut...more
Like most other States, Maryland has enacted the “Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act.” The statute permits the “user” of “digital assets” to authorize a designee to access specified digital assets after the user’s death...more
The Supreme Court of Maryland has amended Maryland Attorneys’ Rule of Professional Conduct 19-304.4(c) (Rule 4.4(c)). Maryland’s new rule prohibits an attorney from seeking privileged information from a third person. If...more
“A trial-level judge in New York has sanctioned [attorneys’ name deleted] for ‘rummaging’ through the Dropbox of its litigation opponent after a third-party vendor accidentally revealed the link in discovery.” D. Cassens...more
The Supreme Court of Maryland adopted an amendment to Maryland Rule 2-433, which governs sanctions in Maryland state courts. Amended Maryland Rule 2-433(b) abandons the shallow “safe harbor” rule....more