Rangel v. Gonzalez Mascorro

274 F.R.D. 585, 79 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 663, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46875, 2011 WL 1570329
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedApril 11, 2011
DocketCivil Action No. L-10-104
StatusPublished
Cited by75 cases

This text of 274 F.R.D. 585 (Rangel v. Gonzalez Mascorro) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rangel v. Gonzalez Mascorro, 274 F.R.D. 585, 79 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 663, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46875, 2011 WL 1570329 (S.D. Tex. 2011).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

J. SCOTT HACKER, United States Magistrate Judge.

Pending before the Court is “Defendants’ Opposed Motion for Sanctions, Opposed Motion for Extension of Time to Designate Defendants’ Expert/Discovery Deadline, and Opposed Motion for Continuance and Briefs in Support” (Dkt. No. 17). Also pending before the Court is “Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel the Depositions of Defendants” (Dkt. No. 19), a related motion. The parties’ dispute began when Plaintiffs’ counsel instructed Plaintiff Teresa Rangel not to answer certain questions at her deposition. Thereafter, Plaintiffs’ counsel terminated Plaintiff Rangel’s deposition, and she subsequently cancelled Plaintiff Diego Batalla’s deposition. According to Plaintiffs’ counsel, her actions were justified because Defendants’ counsel was conducting Plaintiff Rangel’s deposition in an abusive manner. Defendants’ counsel then cancelled his clients’ depositions, which were scheduled to take place the next day. In their Motion, Defendants seek $3,500.00 in sanctions against Plaintiffs’ counsel for her actions. Although Plaintiffs claim they are not seeking sanctions for Defendants’ cancellations, they are seeking an offset of the expenses they have incurred as a result of Defendants’ counsel’s conduct. Further, Plaintiffs ask the Court to compel Defendants’ appearance for the two previouslycancelled depositions.

On March 9, 2011, the Court ordered Plaintiffs’ counsel to submit an audio recording of Plaintiff Rangel’s deposition to the Court. (Dkt. No. 25). On March 17, 2011, the Court held a hearing in this matter. At the hearing, Defendants asked the Court to make a specific ruling on the questions Plain[588]*588tiff Rangel was instructed not to answer. For the reasons set forth below, Defendants’ Motion (Dkt. No. 17) is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART, and Plaintiffs’ Motion (Dkt. No. 19) is DENIED AS MOOT WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

I. BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs Rangel and Batalla filed suit against Defendants Plutarco Gonzalez Maseorro, PGM Trucking, Inc., and Gilberto Gomez for injuries they allegedly sustained from an auto collision in April 2009. (See Dkt. No. 2, Ex. 1 at pg. 5). Plaintiff Rangel’s deposition was scheduled to take place on February 16, 2011 at 10:30 a.m. in Laredo, Texas, with Plaintiff Batalla’s deposition to follow at 1:00 p.m. that same day. (See Dkt. No. 17, Ex. A and B). The depositions of Defendant Gomez and a corporate representative of Defendant PGM Trucking were scheduled to take place the following day, and Mr. Larry Goldman, Defendants’ lead counsel, was scheduled to meet with Defendants on the evening of February 16, 2011 for a pre-deposition conference. (See id. at ¶ 12).

On February 16, 2011, Mr. Goldman appeared on Defendants’ behalf to depose Plaintiffs. (See Dkt. No. 17, Ex. D). Plaintiffs were represented by Ms. Lucia Ceaser. (See Dkt. No. 21, Ex. 7). At approximately 10:36 a.m., Mr. Goldman began the deposition of Plaintiff Rangel by asking general background questions. (See Dkt. No. 17, Ex. D, Attach. A). It appears to the Court that Mr. Goldman, Ms. Ceaser, and Plaintiff Ran-gel continued with the deposition in a cordial manner. (See generally Dkt. No. 26, Audio of Plaintiff Rangel’s Deposition).

However, after approximately fifty minutes of questioning, the tone of the deposition changed. (See Dkt. No. 26, Audio of Plaintiff Rangel’s Deposition at 50:40). Mr. Goldman asked Plaintiff Rangel how she obtained her healthcare provider’s name. (See Dkt. No. 17, Ex. D., Attach. A at pg. 52). Ms. Ceaser objected on the basis that the information was not relevant and instructed Plaintiff Rangel not to answer the question. (See id. at pg. 52-53). Mr. Goldman advised Ms. Ceaser that she may want to consider consulting with Mr. Michael Cowen, Plaintiffs’ lead counsel, because the information he was seeking was “certainly discoverable.” (See id. at pg. 53). After a brief exchange between Mr. Goldman and Ms. Ceaser, Mr. Goldman proceeded to ask Plaintiff Rangel if she consulted with a lawyer prior to her visit with her health care provider. (See id. at pg. 53-54). During that question, Ms. Ceaser interrupted Mr. Goldman, objecting to his question. (See id.). In a firm tone and raised voice, Mr. Goldman asked Ms. Ceaser to let him finish his question before she made her objection. (See id.; Dkt. No. 26, Audio of Plaintiff Rangel’s Deposition at 51:34). Mr. Goldman finished his question, but Ms. Ceaser instructed her client not to answer on the basis that the question was not relevant and protected by the attorney-client privilege.1 (See id. at pg. 54).

Thereafter, Mr. Goldman asked Plaintiff Rangel how she obtained the name of the attorney she consulted with prior to her visit to the Laredo Medical Center. (See id. at pg. 57). Again, Ms. Ceaser objected on the basis of relevance and instructed her client not to answer the question.2 (See id.). As the deposition continued, Mr. Goldman asked Plaintiff Rangel how she chose the Laredo Medical Center as the hospital where she would seek medical attention. (See id. at pg. 60). Ms. Ceaser continued to object on relevancy grounds and instructed Plaintiff Ran-gel not to answer the question. (See id.). Mr. Goldman then informed Ms. Ceaser of his right to file a motion to compel and for sanctions in order to re-depose Plaintiff Ran-gel at Plaintiffs’ counsel’s cost. (See id. at pg. 61). However, Ms. Ceaser continued to instruct Plaintiff Rangel not to answer. (See id.).

Mr. Goldman then asked Plaintiff Rangel how she chose her doctor, a similar question as one asked before. (See id. at pg. 62). Ms. [589]*589Ceaser instructed her client not to answer. (See id.). Subsequently, Mr. Goldman asked Plaintiff Rangel whether she received any treatment from her doctor before choosing a lawyer. (See id. at pg. 64). After Plaintiff Rangel responded in the negative, Ms Ceaser instructed her not to answer the question. (See id.).

After about one hour of deposing Plaintiff Rangel, Mr. Goldman and Ms. Ceaser agreed to take a lunch break. (See id. at pg. 64-65). Upon their return, Ms. Ceaser informed Mr. Goldman that she was “shutting down” the deposition. (See id. at pg. 65). Mr. Goldman calmly asked Ms. Ceaser to put Mr. Cowen on the phone.3 (See id.). Nonetheless, Ms. Ceaser proceeded with terminating Plaintiff Rangel’s deposition and did not present Plaintiff Batalla for deposition as previously scheduled. (See Dkt. No. 21, Ex. 7 at ¶ 6). As a result of Ms. Ceaser’s actions, Mr. Goldman then refused to present his clients for their depositions the next day. (See Dkt. No. 17, Ex. D at ¶ 6).

At the March 17, 2011 hearing, the parties indicated to the Court that they were in the process of rescheduling the depositions. As of the date of the hearing, Plaintiffs’ depositions were scheduled to take place on March 24, 2011 in Laredo. (March 17, 2011 Hearing at 1:50:40). The parties had not yet reached an agreement regarding Defendants’ depositions as of the date of the hearing. (Id. at 1:51:02).

II. DISCUSSION

A. Ms. Ceaser’s Instructions to Her Client Not to Answer Questions During the Deposition were Improper

In his Motion (Dkt. No. 17), Mr.

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
274 F.R.D. 585, 79 Fed. R. Serv. 3d 663, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46875, 2011 WL 1570329, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rangel-v-gonzalez-mascorro-txsd-2011.