Schuyler v. United Air Lines, Inc.

10 F.R.D. 111, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3569
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedApril 5, 1950
DocketCiv. A. No. 3304
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 10 F.R.D. 111 (Schuyler v. United Air Lines, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schuyler v. United Air Lines, Inc., 10 F.R.D. 111, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3569 (M.D. Pa. 1950).

Opinion

WATSON, Chief Judge.

After this case was set for trial to begin April 3, 1950, counsel for plaintiff presented to the Court on March 31, 1950, a motion for Production of Documents, etc., under Rule 34 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.1 The motion contains requests in 29 separate paragraphs for documents of various descriptions. On presentation of the motion, the Court requested counsel in the case to confer together and, if possible, to stipulate as to the production of certain of the documents, etc. requested. After the jury was selected and sworn, counsel, on the morning of April 4, 1950, informed the Court that no stipulation had been entered into. Thereupon, the Court held a hearing and heard arguments for and against the production of the various documents, etc.

It appears that, as to requests for production referred to in Paragraphs 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 22, 25, 26, and 29, the defendant does not have same in 'its possession, custody or control, and, therefore, the motion for the production of the documents, papers, books, etc. referred to in said paragraphs will be denied.2

The eighteenth paragraph of plaintiff’s request for production reads as follows: “Original, or copy of, report to United Air Lines from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or by and from any technical consultant employed by or on the staff of instructors or professors at said Institute, with respect to position of cabin pressure relief valve after crash of airplane NC-37506 on June 17, 1948, near Mt. Carmel, Pennsylvania.” It appears that in the accident investigation report of the Civil Aeronautics Board, referring to the airplane accident involved in this litigation, which report was released August 2, 1949, [113]*113there is the following language: “The study made on behalf of United by M.I.T. resulted in a preliminary report received April 26, 1949 * * *. The Board, thereupon, entered upon a final analysis and study of the evidence including the reports above described, only one of which, the M.I.T. report, concluded that the cabin pressure relief valves were open.”

There is nothing to show that the report by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, referred to above, was the report referred to in plaintiff’s request in paragraph 18. It does appear that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, or some one on the staff of instructors or professors of that institute, made a report to and upon the request of the attorneys for the United Air Lines, Inc., when litigation was threatened or pending. Such has been held to be privileged, and it has been held that evidence obtained by an attorney or at his instance after litigation has been commenced or threatened, or with a view to the defense or prosecution of such litigation is protected even if obtained by the client.3 In McCarthy v. Palmer,4 Judge Moscowitz said in the opinion: “While the Rules of Civil Procedure were designed to permit liberal examination and discovery, they were not intended to be made the vehicle through which one litigant could make use of his opponent’s preparation of his case. To use them in such a manner would penalize the diligent and place a premium on laziness. It is fair to assume that, except in the most unusual circumstances, no such result was intended.” It cannot be held that the defendant waived its rights to protection because the report referred to in the report of the Civil Aeronautics Board was said to have been made as the result of study on behalf of United by M.I.T. Furthermore, the M.I.T. report referred to in the Civil Aeronautics Board’s report is not referred to in full, but there is a reference to it only, and that reference is to a conclusion. For reasons stated and others, it is my opinion that the request for production of document designated in Paragraph 18 should be denied.

Rule 34 authorizes the Court to order production of documents, etc., upon motion of a party “showing good cause”. The Court must be satisfied that the production of the requested document is necessary to enable a party to properly prepare his case, or that it will facilitate proof or progress at the trial.5 It is my opinion that, under a proper construction of Rule 34, the defendant should be required to produce the documents, papers, books, etc., designated in Paragraphs 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 16, 20, 21, 27, and certain of those documents, papers, books, etc., designated in paragraphs 3 and 4, and a proper order for their production will be made.

The documents designated in paragraphs 14, 23, 24, and 28 for the most part refer to acts of the defendant in providing work and materials to airplane NC-37506 between November, 1947 and June 17, 1948. The plaintiff has shown to the satisfaction of the Court that the production of most of the documents requested is necessary to enable her to properly prepare her case, but whether the documents embody evidence that is material to this cause is doubtful. However, it is not the duty of the plaintiff to prove materiality. It does appear that it is reasonably probable that the documents sought to be examined constitute or contain material evidence, and that is sufficient. The question as to whether they do embody evidence that is material will be determined if and when it arises in the trial of the case, and no prejudice can result from a direction to the defendant at this time to produce the documents designated in paragraphs 14, 23, 24 and 28. In paragraph 24, the plaintiff requests the production of “ ‘proof’ that Airplane Flight Manual for Airplane NC-37506 was revised to include CAA Approved Procedures covering ‘Fuel Usage’, ‘Fire Fighting’ and ‘Smoke Evacuation from the Cockpit’.” Rule 34 provides for the production and in[114]*114spection of designated documents, papers, books, accounts, letters, photographs, objects, or tangible things, not privileged, and does not provide for the production of proof. A proper order will be made directing the production of the documents, records, papers, or tangible things designated in paragraphs 14, 23, 24, and 28.

Order

Now, April 5, 1950, it is ordered and directed that United Air Lines, Inc., defendant, produce and permit Jessie I. Schuyler, ancillary executrix of the estate of Earl Carroll, deceased, plaintiff, through her counsel, to inspect and to copy or photostat, if counsel so desire, the documents, books, records, papers, pamphlets and bulletins, as follows:

1. The “squawk sheet” of Capt. John M. Roberts, Crew Captain of Airplane NC-37506, on Flight 624 from Los Angeles to Chicago, June 16-17, 1948;

2. All records, papers, documents, work sheets, and inspection reports of mechanical, electrical, and any other maintenance crews servicing Plane NC-37506 prior to take-off on Flight 624 from Chicago, Illinois, en route to New York City, June 16-17, 1948;

3. United Air Lines Operating Manual for DC-6 Pilot and Co-Pilot in force, in effect, and in use during the months of May and June, 1948; and in particular, the training instruction pertaining to emergency procedure in the event of fire or false alarm of fire;

4. Copy of Douglas Aircraft Operating Manual in effect during the months of May and June, 1948, pertaining to DC-6 Airplane NC-37506;

5.

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Bluebook (online)
10 F.R.D. 111, 1950 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3569, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schuyler-v-united-air-lines-inc-pamd-1950.