Crawford v. George & Lynch, Inc.

19 F. Supp. 3d 546, 2013 WL 6504363, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174890
CourtDistrict Court, D. Delaware
DecidedDecember 9, 2013
DocketCivil Action No. 10-949-GMS-SRF
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 19 F. Supp. 3d 546 (Crawford v. George & Lynch, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Delaware primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crawford v. George & Lynch, Inc., 19 F. Supp. 3d 546, 2013 WL 6504363, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174890 (D. Del. 2013).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ORDER

Sherry R. Fallon, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

I. INTRODUCTION

Presently before the court in this sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and retaliation action brought under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000 et seq. (“Title VII”), are the following motions: (1) the motion to strike of plaintiff Tammy L. Crawford (“Crawford” or “Plaintiff”), filed on August 17, 2012 (D.I.167); and (2) defendant George & Lynch, Inc.’s (“G & L” or “Defendant”) motion to strike and for sanctions, filed on September 20, 2012 (D.I.185).1 For the following reasons, Crawford’s motion to strike is denied, and G & L’s motion to strike and for sanctions is granted-in-part and denied-in-part.

II. BACKGROUND

The background relevant to this action has been set forth more fully by the court in the Report and Recommendation addressing the parties’ motions for summary judgment, which was filed on this same date. For purposes of the present motions, the relevant facts are as follows.

Beginning on January 3, 2012, Crawford submitted document requests and interrogatories to G & L, requesting any documents regarding Crawford’s job performance, as well as any documents describing the reasons for Crawford’s transfer and termination. (D.I. 167 at 3-4) G & L’s responses did not identify the July 21, 2008 meeting (the “Meeting”) or any documents in connection with the Meeting.2 (Id) On March 22, 2012, G & L agreed to search the term “Order Processor” at Crawford’s request, but no documents regarding the Meeting came up in the [551]*551search. (Id. at Ex. C) Crawford sent G & L a deficiency letter on March 28, 2012, but G & L responded that it would only produce documentation from the named defendant, and would not produce documentation from any other entity. (Id. at Exs. D, E)

Counsel for Crawford took the deposition of Kevin Jones (“Jones”), a General Manager for G & L, on June 19, 2012. (D.I.122) During the deposition, Jones described problems with Crawford’s job performance during her employment at G & L. (D.I. 181, Ex. 4 at 19) Counsel for Crawford asked Jones to supplement his deposition with documentation outlining the issues that arose with respect to Crawford’s job performance. (Id. at 21-23) In response to this request, Jones produced the agenda from the Meeting (the “Agenda”), along with other documents in connection with the Meeting (together with the Agenda, the “Documents”) on July 24, 2012. (D.I.181, Exs.5-7) Counsel for G & L also offered to make Jones available for deposition. (Id. Ex. 7) On July 31, 2012, G & L received the affidavit of John R. Kibblehouse, Sr. (the “Kibblehouse Affidavit”), which corroborated the Agenda and confirmed the date of the Meeting. (D.I. 159; D.I. 181, Exs. 8 & 9)

III. LEGAL STANDARD

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(e)(1) provides that, “[i]f a party fails to provide information or identify a witness as required by Rule 26(a) or (e), the party is not allowed to use that information or witness to supply evidence on a motion, at a hearing, or at a trial, unless the failure was substantially justified or is harmless.” Courts within the Third Circuit evaluate harmlessness and substantial justification based on the following factors: (1) the importance of the information withheld; (2) the prejudice or surprise to the party against whom the evidence is offered; (3) the likelihood of disruption of the trial; (4) the possibility of curing the prejudice; (5) the explanation for the failure to disclose; and (6) the presence of bad faith or willfulness in not disclosing the evidence. Konstantopoulos v.Westvaco Corp., 112 F.3d 710, 719 (3d Cir.1997). “[T]he exclusion of critical evidence is an ‘extreme’ sanction, not normally to be imposed absent a showing of willful deception or ‘flagrant disregard’ of a court order by the proponent of the evidence.” Meyers v. Pennypack Woods Home Ownership Ass’n, 559 F.2d 894, 905 (3d Cir.1977), rev’d on other grounds, Goodman v. Lukens Steel Co., 777 F.2d 113 (3d Cir.1985), aff'd, 482 U.S. 656, 107 S.Ct. 2617, 96 L.Ed.2d 572 (1987). The determination of whether to exclude evidence is ultimately committed to the discretion of the court. Quinn v. Consol. Freightways Corp. of Del., 283 F.3d 572, 576 (3d Cir.2002).

IY. DISCUSSION

A. Crawford’s Motion to Strike the Agenda

By way of her motion to strike, Crawford • requests that the court strike the Documents and the Kibblehouse Affidavit or any reference thereto. (D.I. 167 at 1) Crawford also seeks attorney’s fees caused by G & L’s failure to timely produce the Documents. (Id.)

In support of her request for relief, Crawford contends that G & L did not disclose the Documents until July 24, 2012, or the Kibblehouse Affidavit until July 30, 2012, even though discovery closed on June 30, 2012. (Id. at 2) Crawford references her repeated attempts to obtain the Documents through the discovery process, claiming that G & L failed to respond to those requests in a meaningful way. (Id. at 6) Crawford characterizes the late disclosure of the Documents as a “game [552]*552changer,” rendering “hundreds of hours of Plaintiffs’ discovery efforts misguided.” (D.I. 188 at 3) Crawford contends that she would have to restart the discovery process to cure the prejudice she has suffered and accuses G & L of withholding the documents in bad faith. (Id. at 8)

In response, G & L contends that the Documents support evidence already contained in the record, precluding a finding that Crawford was prejudiced by production of the Documents. (D.I. 181 at 5) G & L alleges that Crawford is not prejudiced by its failure to identify Kibblehouse in its Rule 26 disclosures because Kibblehouse possessed no relevant knowledge beyond the facts surrounding the Meeting. (Id. at 6) Moreover, G & L notes that the Documents were produced promptly after they were requested at Jones’ deposition. (Id. at 6-7) According to G & L, Crawford was offered and declined the opportunity to depose Jones to cure any prejudice. (Id. at 8) G & L contends that it would have no reason to withhold evidence that weighs so strongly in its favor against Crawford’s retaliation claim. (Id.)

Crawford’s motion to strike is denied because she fails to demonstrate that she was prejudiced by the untimely disclosure of the Documents. Specifically, the Documents support evidence that was in the record prior to the close of discovery.

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Bluebook (online)
19 F. Supp. 3d 546, 2013 WL 6504363, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174890, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crawford-v-george-lynch-inc-ded-2013.