In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure—Electronic Discovery

95 So. 3d 76, 2012 WL 2579681
CourtSupreme Court of Florida
DecidedJuly 5, 2012
DocketNo. SC11-1542
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 95 So. 3d 76 (In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure—Electronic Discovery) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure—Electronic Discovery, 95 So. 3d 76, 2012 WL 2579681 (Fla. 2012).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

The Florida Bar’s Civil Procedure Rules Committee (Committee) filed an out-of-cycle report proposing amendments to the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure to address discovery of electronically stored information (ESI). We have jurisdiction. See art. V, § 2(a), Fla. Const.

BACKGROUND

The Committee proposes amendments to seven civil procedure rules: 1.200 (Pretrial Procedure); 1.201 (Complex Litigation); 1.280 (General Provisions Governing Discovery); 1.340 (Interrogatories to Parties); 1.350 (Production of Documents and Things and Entry Upon Land for Inspection and Other Purposes); 1.380 (Failure to Make Discovery; Sanctions); and 1.410 (Subpoena). The Committee’s proposals were unanimously approved by The Florida Bar Board of Governors. After the Committee submitted its report to the Court, the Court published the proposed amendments in The Florida Bar News for public comment. We received and considered comments from several organizations and members of the Bar. We have also considered the issues discussed during the oral argument in this case. As explained below, we adopt the amendments as proposed by the Committee.

AMENDMENTS

First, rule 1.200 (Pretrial Procedure) is amended to allow the trial court to consider various issues related to electronic discovery during a pretrial conference, including the possibility of obtaining admissions of fact, the voluntary exchange of documents and electronically stored information, and stipulations regarding the authenticity of documents and electronically stored information; the need for advance rulings on the admissibility of some documents or ESI; and finally, specifically as to electronically stored information, the possibility of an agreement between the parties regarding the extent to which such information should be preserved and the form in which it should be produced. Similarly, rule 1.201 (Complex Litigation) is also amended to require the parties in a complex civil case to address the possibility of an agreement between them addressing the extent to which electronic information should be preserved and the form in which it should be produced.

Next, rule 1.280 (General Provisions Governing Discovery) is amended to expressly authorize discovery of electronical[77]*77ly stored information. Rule 1.280 is also amended to add new subdivision (d), which provides some specific limitations on discovery of ESI; the subsequent subdivisions are relettered accordingly. Under new subdivision (d)(1), a person may object to a discovery request seeking electronically stored information. On a motion to compel discovery, or a motion for a protective order, the person from whom the discovery is sought must show that the information sought or the format requested is not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. If this showing is made, the court may nonetheless order the discovery if the requesting party shows good cause. However, the court may specify certain conditions of discovery, including ordering that some or all of the expenses incurred while complying with the discovery request be paid by the party seeking the discovery. Under subdivision (d)(2) the court, in addressing a motion pertaining to discovery of ESI, must limit the frequency or extent of discovery if it determines that the information sought is: (i) unreasonably cumulative or duplicative, or can be obtained from another source or in another manner that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive; or (ii) the burden or expense of the discovery outweighs its likely benefit.

Rule 1.340 (Interrogatories to Parties) and rule 1.350 (Production of Docuinents and Things and Entry Upon Land for Inspection and Other Purposes) are both amended to allow for the production of electronically stored information, either as an answer to an interrogatory or in response to a specific request. Both rules provide for a party to produce the ESI in the form in which it is ordinarily maintained or in a reasonably usable form.

Rule 1.380 (Failure to Make Discovery; Sanctions) is amended to provide that, absent exceptional circumstances, a court may not impose sanctions on a party for failing to provide electronically stored information that was lost as a result of the routine, good-faith operation of an electronic information system.

Finally, rule 1.410 (Subpoena) is amended to authorize a subpoena requesting electronically stored information. A person receiving a subpoena may object to the discovery of the ESI. The person from whom discovery is sought must show that the information or the form requested is not reasonably accessible because of undue costs or burden. If that showing is made, the court may nonetheless order the discovery if the requesting party shows good cause and consistent with the limitations provided in ' rule 1.280(d)(2) discussed above. The court may also specify conditions of the discovery, including ordering that some or all of the expenses be paid by the party seeking the discovery.

CONCLUSION

Accordingly, we amend the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure as set forth in the appendix to this opinion. New language is indicated by underscoring; deletions are indicated by struck-through type. The committee notes are offered for explanation only and are not adopted as an official part of the rules. These amendments shall become effective September 1, 2012, at 12:02 a.m.

It is so ordered.

POLSTON, C.J., and PARIENTE, LEWIS, QUINCE, CANADY, LABARGA, and PERRY, JJ., concur.

APPENDIX

RULE 1.200. PRETRIAL PROCEDURE

(a) Case Management Conference. At any time after responsive pleadings or [78]*78motions are due, the court may order, or a party by serving a notice may convene, a case management conference. The matter to be considered shall be specified in the order or notice setting the conference. At such a conference the court may:

(1) — (4) [No Change]
(5) consider the possibility of obtaining admissions of fact and voluntary exchange of documents and electronically stored information, and stipulations regarding authenticity of documents and electronically stored information;
(6) consider the need for advance rulings from the court on the admissibility of documents and electronically stored information;
(7) discuss as to electronically stored information, the possibility of agreements from the parties regarding the extent to which such evidence should be preserved, the form in which such evidence should be produced, and whether discovery of such information should be conducted in phases or limited to particular individuals, time periods, or sources;
(58) schedule disclosure of expert witnesses and the discovery of facts known and opinions held by such experts;
(69) schedule or hear motions in li-mine;
(710) pursue the possibilities of settlement;
(811) require filing of preliminary stipulations if issues can be narrowed;
(912) consider referring issues to a magistrate for findings of fact; and
(1013) schedule other conferences or determine other matters that may aid in the disposition of the action.

(b)-(d) [No Change]

Committee Notes

1971-1992 Amendments.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

The City of Port St. Lucie v. Vallerie Follano
177 So. 3d 301 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2015)
Steinger, Iscoe & Greene, P.A. v. GEICO General Insurance Co.
103 So. 3d 200 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
95 So. 3d 76, 2012 WL 2579681, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-amendments-to-the-florida-rules-of-civil-procedureelectronic-fla-2012.