Orlando Health, Inc. v. HKS Architects, Inc.

District Court, M.D. Florida·Decided December 23, 2024·No. 6:24-cv-00693·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA ORLANDO DIVISION

ORLANDO HEALTH, INC.,

Plaintiff,

v. Case No: 6:24-cv-693-JA-LHP

HKS ARCHITECTS, INC.,

Defendant /Third Party Plaintiff,

BBM STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, INC.,

Third Party Defendant

ORDER This cause came on for consideration without oral argument on the following motion filed herein: MOTION: ORLANDO HEALTH, INC.’S MOTION TO COMPEL PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS FROM HKS ARCHITECTS, INC., AND MOTION FOR CONTEMPT AND REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL BRIEFING (Doc. No. 51) FILED: November 11, 2024 THEREON it is ORDERED that the motion is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. I. BACKGROUND On October 23, 2024, Plaintiff Orlando Health, Inc. (“Orlando Health”) moved to compel Defendant HKS Architects, Inc. (“HKS”) to produce documents responsive to Orlando Health’s Request for Production (“RFPs”). Doc. No. 41. In

sum, Orlando Health argued that despite affording HKS several extensions of time, HKS wholly failed to produce any responsive documents to the RFPs, and Orlando Health therefore requested an order of compliance as well as an award of fees. Id.

The motion sought production without any limitations, there was no mention of production related to specific files or depositories. Id. HKS submitted a timely response to the motion to compel. Doc. No. 42. HKS did not contest any of Orlando Health’s assertions, admitted that it had not

produced responsive documents, and did not raise or address any objections to the RFPs. Id.1 Rather, all HKS stated by way of explanation for its failure to comply was that “Counsel for HKS learned that the Project was nearing completion, with

the Project set to receive governmental inspections in September-October 2024.

1 As discussed in more detail below, HKS also did not raise any objections in its response to the RFPs, instead responding to each request with the same statement: “HKS will produce documents responsive to this request in accordance with the ESI Protocol agreed upon by the parties.” Doc. No. 51-5. HKS is now able to devote the resources necessary to produce the Project files. . . . While there has been some unforeseen delay in producing the responsive electronically stored Project files while the Project was highly active during the

completion phase, HKS is now in a position to promptly make the production of electronically stored information.” Id., ¶¶ 5-6, 8. HKS did not define “the Project,” did not mention any agreements or understandings with Orlando Health to limit its document production in any manner, did not argue that production

should be limited in any manner, and did not raise any concerns with respect to an ESI Protocol for electronic production. Doc. No. 42. Rather, HKS in essence stated that it was too busy to produce discovery but would do so now. Id.

On October 30, 2024, the Court found HKS’s admitted failure to timely comply with discovery to be without justification and granted Orlando Health’s motion to compel in its entirety. Doc. No. 44. Specifically, the Court directed HKS to produce, on or before November 13, 2024, “all documents in its current

possession, custody, or control responsive to Orlando Health’s First Request for Production.” Id., at 4 (emphasis in original). The Court further found all objections other than privilege waived, and levied sanctions against HKS in the

form of Orlando Health’s reasonable fees and expenses incurred in filing the motion to compel. Id., at 4-5. The Court’s Order was clear and unambiguous, it did not limit production to any specific files, repositories, categories, or forms of documents (electronic or otherwise) and did not condition production on the parties negotiating and executing an ESI Protocol. Id. HKS was to simply produce all documents. Id. The Order further stated that failure to comply may result in

further sanctions pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(b). Id., at 5. To date, HKS has not moved for clarification or reconsideration of the October 30, 2024 Order. II. THE PRESENT MOTION TO COMPEL AND FOR SANCTIONS Instead, it appears that HKS misread (at best) or deliberately ignored (at

worst) the Court’s October 30, 2024 Order, as on November 18, 2024, Orlando Health filed the above-styled motion to compel and for contempt against HKS. Doc. No. 51. Orlando Health contends that HKS did not comply with the Court’s

October 30, 2024 Order in that HKS has failed to produce “all documents in its current possession, custody, or control responsive to Orlando Health’s First Request for Production,” and that HKS has failed to execute a previously agreed upon ESI Protocol. Doc. No. 51. Rather, HKS unilaterally decided to limit production to

documents contained within a “project depository,” which contained non-custodial project documents and a handful of random emails saved to PDF. Id. Orlando Health further argued that the parties had agreed upon an ESI Protocol which

would govern production of custodial emails, to include HKS searching its email files based on agreed to search terms, but that HKS unilaterally decided to deviate from the ESI Protocol so that it now only applies to the files in the “project depository.” Id. As relief, Orlando Health asks that the Court order HKS to sign the previously agreed-upon ESI Protocol, to produce all communications in accordance with that ESI Protocol, award Orlando Health its fees under Fed. R. Civ.

P. 37(a)(5), and hold HKS in contempt until it is in full compliance. Id., at 3. See also Doc. No. 54, at 8-9. In authorized supplemental briefing, Orlando Health detailed its attempts to negotiate an ESI Protocol with HKS, which occurred over several months, and

which ultimately resulted in both Orlando Health and HKS agreeing to an ESI Protocol that applied to the production of HKS emails. Doc. No. 54, at 1-4. However, despite agreeing to the ESI Protocol and agreeing to produce documents

in accordance with the ESI Protocol, HKS has refused to sign the ESI Protocol to date, and has only made a limited production from its project files. Id., at 1-6. Orlando Health further argues that glaring gaps exist in the production, and lists several examples of missing documents that relate to liability and damages. Id., at

7. Orlando Health has also submitted email correspondence between its counsel and HKS’s counsel, which clearly show that HKS’s counsel unequivocally agreed to the ESI Protocol as limited to emails – and not limited to any “project depository”

– but later unilaterally decided to limit its production and modify the ESI Protocol. Doc. Nos. 51-1 through 51-4. In response, HKS contends that on or about July 30, 2024, HKS and Orlando Health agreed to limit production in this case, including any ESI Protocol, to HKS’s “Project File,” and that HKS has produced all responsive documents in its “Project

File” in accordance with that agreement. Doc. No. 56. HKS further argues that it never “receded from the July 30, 2024 discussion on the acceptability of the production of HKS’s Project File, or that its production would be served without the requisite proportionality,” and that HKS cannot be forced to enter into any

binding enforceable agreement to the contrary. Id., at 6-7. As such, HKS argues that it has produced documents proportionate to the needs of the case, it is not in contempt and Orlando Health’s motion (Doc. No. 51) should be denied. Id., at 1-

4, 6. HKS also argues that to the extent any gaps in its production may exist, Orlando Health has not attempted to confer with HKS to resolve any issues. Id., at 4-5. In support of its argument, HKS submits two emails both dated July 30, 2024

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