Sanchez v. Matta

229 F.R.D. 649, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28278, 2004 WL 3426117
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedJune 24, 2004
DocketCiv. No. 03-0297JB/LFG
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 229 F.R.D. 649 (Sanchez v. Matta) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Sanchez v. Matta, 229 F.R.D. 649, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28278, 2004 WL 3426117 (D.N.M. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BROWNING, District Judge.

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on: (i) the Defendants’ Motion for Protective Order, filed February 13, 2004 (Doc. 42); and (ii) the Plaintiffs Motion to Compel Production of Responsive Documents and Materials, filed February 26, 2004 (Doc. 48). The primary issue is whether the Court should issue a protective order concerning the Plaintiffs “Notice of Deposition Subpoena Duces Te-cum” to Robert Casey at Robert Caswell Investigations, or issue an order compelling Casey to comply with the Notice. Because the Court finds that the Plaintiffs motion to compel is not properly before the Court, it will deny the Plaintiffs motion. Because the Court further finds that portions of the materials created during Casey’s investigation are privileged, and that potential deposition questions may intrude into privileged areas, it will grant the Defendants’ motion for protective order in part and deny it in part.1

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

This action involves Sanchez’ claim of retaliation. He contends that he revealed misconduct in connection with the National Hispanic Cultural Center (the “Center”) for which the Defendants later retaliated against him. Specifically, in December 1999, he raised concerns involving fraud, mismanagement, and hostile work environment. In July 2000, seven months after he raised his concerns, Center officials issued Sanchez a notice of contemplated dismissal. Sanchez filed his complaint in this matter approximately three years later. See Complaint for Violation of First Amendment and 14th Amendment Equal Protection Rights, filed March 10, 2003 (Doc. l)(“Complaint”).

In late December 1999, Lois Mee, the human resources manager of the Office of Cultural Affairs (“OCA”), contacted Marcia E. Lubar, the attorney for Defendants Edson Way, Ed Lujan, and Gene Henley (the “Defendants”).2 The OCA retained Lubar to [653]*653investigate and review Sanchez’ allegations and to provide legal advice concerning the allegations. See Affidavit of Marcia E. Lu-bar II2, at 1 (executed February 11, 2004). Lubar asserts that Mee, Way, and Lubar intended their communications to be confidential and made them solely for the purpose of obtaining legal advice and assistance. See id. U 3, at 1.

After reviewing the information that Mee and Way initially provided to her, Lubar contacted Robert Caswell Investigations (“RCI”) because there was a concern that litigation might ensue. See id. H1Í 4, 9, at 2. Lubar intended her communications with RCI to be confidential. See id. H 5, at 2. Lubar assigned RCI investigators the task of investigating Sanchez’ allegations. See id. 116, at 2. Robert Casey and Sherry Riordan from RCI met with Lubar and, on behalf of Lubar, conducted interviews, collected documents, and otherwise investigated Sanchez’ allegations. See id. 118, at 2. This investigation was a component of rendering professional legal services to the Center. See id.

The Center does not normally conduct such an investigation in connection with its business. The Center conducted the investigation only because it anticipated litigation. See id. 119, at 2. Casey has no information or independent knowledge of any facts related to this matter other than information he obtained pursuant to the investigation conducted at Lubar’s request. See Affidavit of Robert Casey Hit 7-8, at 2 (executed February 11, 2004).

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Sanchez filed his Complaint on March 10, 2003. The Complaint alleged violations of the First Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. Specifically, he alleges violations of his right to free speech in retaliation for having raised concerns of fraud, mismanagement, and a hostile work environment. To prove his claims, Sanchez must present evidence establishing that the Defendants’ allegedly retaliatory treatment of him was motivated by his voicing concerns protected by the First Amendment. See Butler v. City of Prairie Village, 172 F.3d 736, 745^16 (10th Cir.1999).

In their initial disclosures, which were hand-delivered to Sanchez on May 9, 2003, the Defendants identified and asserted attorney-client/work-produet privilege for the RCI investigation and resulting report. On January 13, 2004, Sanchez served a “Notice of Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum” to Robert Casey at RCI requesting that he bring the investigative report and other related materials resulting from his January 2000 investigation. Specifically, Sanchez has requested that Casey produce: (i) all notes, tape recordings, e-mails, or other documents related to the January 2000 investigation conducted at the Hispanic Cultural Center involving Eugene Matta; and (ii) the investigative report issued. Sanchez asserts that he is seeking to discover information during Casey’s deposition which is necessary to prove his claims of retaliatory firing for raising concerns about fraud, mismanagement, and hostile work environment.

Sanchez originally noticed Casey’s deposition for February 17, 2004. Because Casey participated in an investigation into matters relating to this action on Lubar’s behalf, the Defendants have advised Sanchez’ counsel that the deposition questioning is likely to draw objections because Casey’s only knowledge pertaining to the information Sanchez seeks consists of attorney work-product and privileged attorney-client communications. The Defendants have further advised Sanchez’ attorney that the documents and items that Sanchez seeks are all attorney work-product, having been prepared in anticipation of litigation.

Counsel have been unable to resolve these issues. Both Sanchez and the Defendants have attempted, and have made a good faith effort, to confer and to resolve this matter without Court intervention, but these attempts have been unsuccessful. The parties have been reasonable in their efforts to compromise and to work to resolve this matter before filing their motions.

The Defendants filed their Motion for Protective Order on February 13, 2004, seeking to protect Casey from being questioned about, or having to produce, privileged matters or materials. Because of the possibility [654]*654that Sanchez’ counsel will seek, purposefully or inadvertently, to invade the attorney-client privilege and the work-product privilege, the Defendants seek a protective order in advance of the deposition. Specifically, the Defendants seek to preclude any questions that would require Casey to reveal conversations with Lubar or confidential communications from Lubar’s client The Defendants also seek, on the same basis, to preclude the production of documents sought along with the deposition.

Sanchez filed his response to the motion for protective order and included with his response a motion to compel the production of Casey’s documents. Sanchez moves the Court, pursuant to rules 37(a) and 45(c)(2)(B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, for an order compelling Casey to produce items that Sanchez requests in the Notice of Deposition Subpoena Duces Tecum. Alternatively, Sanchez requests the Court to order an in-camera inspection of the tangible things for which the Defendants seek a protective order.

LAW GOVERNING THE WORK-PRODUCT PRIVILEGE

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Bluebook (online)
229 F.R.D. 649, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 28278, 2004 WL 3426117, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sanchez-v-matta-nmd-2004.