Trilegiant Corp. v. Sitel Corp.

275 F.R.D. 428, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71815, 2011 WL 2693299
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedJuly 1, 2011
DocketNo. 09 Civ. 6492(BSJ)(JCF)
StatusPublished
Cited by23 cases

This text of 275 F.R.D. 428 (Trilegiant Corp. v. Sitel Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Trilegiant Corp. v. Sitel Corp., 275 F.R.D. 428, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71815, 2011 WL 2693299 (S.D.N.Y. 2011).

Opinion

[430]*430 MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

JAMES C. FRANCIS IV, United States Magistrate Judge.

Trilegiant Corporation (“Trilegiant”) brings this contract action against Sitel Corporation (“Sitel”), alleging that Sitel’s failure to maintain audio recordings of customer service calls it conducted on Trilegiant’s behalf violated the terms of their contract. Sitel now moves to compel Trilegiant’s response to various interrogatories and document requests, some of which were the subject of previous discovery orders. Sitel also seeks sanctions against Trilegiant for its failure to comply with those prior orders and an extension of time to complete discovery. For the reasons set forth below, Sitel’s motion is granted in part and denied in part. Background

The factual background of this dispute was set forth in my order of November 15, 2010 (the “11/15/10 Order”)/ which required Trile-giant to produce certain discovery by December 15, 2010. Specifically, the plaintiff was ordered to respond in full to Sitel’s Interrogatories 1 and 20, and Document Requests 2, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, and 29. (Order dated Nov. 15, 2010 (“11/15/10 Order”)). Following entry of the 11/15/10 Order, the parties participated in a telephonic conference at which they clarified the scope of Trilegiant’s outstanding discovery; they subsequently memorialized their agreement in a consent order, which I signed on February 16, 2011 (the “2/16/11 Order”). Pursuant to the 2/16/11 Order, Trilegiant agreed to produce the following categories of documents by February 21, 2011: (1) documents further detailing its damages; (2) documents arising out of any other claim or litigation involving the type of audio recordings, known as Proofs of Enrollment (“POEs”), that Sitel allegedly failed to maintain; (3) records of complaints from customers enlisted by Sitel; (4) records of Trilegiant’s internal audits, including those conducted by HyperQuality, a third-party vendor; and (5) “business planning documents” detailing Trilegiant’s projected earnings from its various contracts with Sitel. (2/16/11 Order). Trilegiant also agreed to update its privilege log to include any additional documents with respect to which a privilege was asserted. (2/16/11 Order, ¶ 4).

Between the issuance of these two orders, however, a significant upheaval occurred at the offices of the plaintiffs lead counsel, Kenneth M. Kliebard. In January of 2011, Mr. Kliebard announced his resignation from the partnership of Howrey LLP (“Howrey”) and his intention to join the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Boekius LLP (“Morgan Lewis”). (Declaration of Kenneth M. Klie-bard dated May 17, 2011 (“Kliebard Deck”), ¶ 3). As a result, Trilegiant requested that Howrey send its case file with Mr. Kliebard so that he could continue representing it on this and other matters. (Kliebard Deck, ¶ 4). Before that transfer could be completed or Mr. Kliebard could assume his new employment, however, Howrey’s Chicago office, where Mr. Kliebard worked and where he kept the paper and electronic documents associated with this litigation, suddenly closed on January 31, 2011. (Kliebard Deck, ¶¶ 5-6). Mr. Kliebard had only a few hours to gather his belongings and was not permitted to take any client files with him. (Klie-bard Deck, ¶ 5). He subsequently encountered significant difficulty during multiple attempts to retrieve those files — for example, he was promised delivery of files that never showed up, and some files were sent to an off-site storage facility without his permission. (Kliebard Deck, ¶¶ 9-16). These difficulties were due in part to Howrey’s dissolution, which took effect on March 15, 2011. (Kliebard Deck, ¶¶ 7, 13; Memorandum in Support of Sitel Operating Corporation’s Renewed Motion to Compel Discovery and Motion for Sanctions (“Def. Memo.”), Exh. A; Plaintiff Trilegiant Corporation’s Notice of Bankruptcy Filing of Non-party Howrey LLP dated June 15, 2011). Mr. Kliebard did not begin receiving case files relevant to this matter at his new offices until March 24, 2011, and the last of the hard copy files did not arrive until May 9, 2011. (Kliebard Deck, ¶¶ 10, 15; Declaration of Elsa Doi dated May 17, 2011 (“Doi Deck”), ¶ 5). Moreover, the paper files were delivered in a state of disarray, and significant efforts were required to identify rele[431]*431vant documents. (Kliebard Decl., ¶ 12; Doi Decl., ¶ 6). The electronic case files became available only on May 16, 2011. (Kliebard Decl., ¶ 14; Doi Decl., ¶ 7).

As a result of these complications, Trilegi-ant was unable to meet the February 21, 2011 production deadline established by the 2/16/11 Order and continued to produce documents and supplemental materials through May of this year. (Kliebard Decl., ¶¶ 19-22; Def. Memo, at 3-4 & Exhs. A, B; Letter of Kenneth M. Kliebard dated March 15, 2011, attached as Exh. F to Def. Memo., at 2; Letter of Kenneth M. Kliebard dated May 16, 2011, attached as Exh. D to Def. Memo.; Letter of Kenneth M. Kliebard dated May 17, 2011 (“5/17/11 Kliebard Letter”), attached as Exh. M to Reply Memorandum in Further Support of Sitel Operating Corporation’s Renewed Motion to Compel Discovery and Motion for Sanctions (“Def. Reply Memo.”)). Trilegiant admits that at least one category of documents still has not been produced. (Kliebard Decl., ¶ 24; Memorandum in Opposition to Defendant’s Renewed Motion to Compel Discovery and Motion for Sanctions (“PI. Opp. Memo.”) at 6, 8,13).

Dissatisfied by Trilegiant’s delayed and allegedly insufficient production, Sitel filed this motion on April 18, 2011. It maintains that multiple categories of requested documents remain missing and asks the Court to (1) compel production of all outstanding discovery; (2) impose sanctions on Trilegiant for its delinquent production; and (3) extend the discovery deadline, which expired on May 31, 2011, for an additional year. (Def. Memo, at 5-9).

Discussion

A. Production and Sanctions

Generally, “[pjarties may obtain discovery regarding any nonprivileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense[.]” Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1). “Although not unlimited, relevance, for purposes of discovery, is an extremely broad concept.” Condit v. Dunne, 225 F.R.D. 100, 105 (S.D.N.Y.2004); see also Oppenheimer Fund, Inc. v. Sanders, 437 U.S. 340, 351, 98 S.Ct. 2380, 57 L.Ed.2d 253 (1978). “Relevant information need not be admissible at the trial if the discovery appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1). The burden of demonstrating relevance is on the party seeking discovery. See, e.g., Mandell v. Maxon Co., No. 06 Civ. 460, 2007 WL 3022552, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 16, 2007).

Once relevance has been shown, it is up to the responding party to justify curtailing discovery. Condit, 225 F.R.D. at 106. “[T]he court must limit the frequency or extent of discovery” where:

(i) the discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative or duplicative, or can be obtained from some other source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive;
(ii) the party seeking discovery has had ample opportunity to obtain the information by discovery in the action; or

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

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
275 F.R.D. 428, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71815, 2011 WL 2693299, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trilegiant-corp-v-sitel-corp-nysd-2011.