In Babbitt v. Koeppel Nissan, Inc., 2019 WL 3296984 (EDNY July 23, 2019) – an employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation case brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 – the court ruled on the parties’ respective motions to compel discovery. One issue addressed by the court – which has become…
Read More Social Media Discovery Compelled (in Part) in Sexual Harassment CaseIn Taylor v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 18-CV-1278, 2019 WL 2766502 (S.D.N.Y. July 2, 2019), the court discussed a common discovery issue in employment discrimination cases, namely, the extent to which a plaintiff may obtain through discovery entity-wide complaints of discrimination. In this case, plaintiff asserts claims of discrimination and retaliation, and specifically that her supervisor…
Read More Court Denies Motion to Compel Discovery of Religious Discrimination Complaints, Pending Supplemental Information Relating to FRCP 26(b)(1) ProportionalityIn Cruz v. G-Star Inc. et al, 17-CV-7685, 2019 WL 2521299 (S.D.N.Y. June 19, 2019), an employment discrimination case involving (inter alia) allegations of sexual harassment, the court imposed sanctions under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(e) on defendants for engaging in spoliation of evidence (electronically-stored information, or ESI). From the decision: Here, the circumstances…
Read More Court Imposes Spoliation Sanctions in Sexual Harassment CaseIn Reitman v Ronell, No. 157658/2018, 2019 WL 2413149, at *1–2 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County June 04, 2019) – in which plaintiff alleges, inter alia, claims for gender discrimination, quid pro quo sexual harassment, and hostile educational environment – the court considered and ruled on plaintiff’s motion for a protective order under CPLR…
Read More Court Discusses Use of Interrogatories in Sexual Harassment CaseIn Doyle v. Temco Serv. Indus., Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 03919 (App. Div. 1st Dept. May 21, 2019), the court held that defendant was entitled to discovery of plaintiff’s social media accounts – albeit not to the extent that defendant demanded. From the decision: Private social media information can be discoverable to the extent…
Read More Social Media, Passport Discovery Ordered in Personal Injury CaseIn Husovic v. Structure Tone, Inc., 2019 NY Slip Op 02954 (App. Div. April 18, 2019), the court upheld discovery sanctions against a defendant who failed to comply with court orders. From the decision: If any party . . . refuses to obey an order for disclosure or wilfully fails to disclose information which the…
Read More Three Discovery Violation Strikes: You’re OutIn Caserta v Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, No. 157983/2015, 2019 WL 1003772 (N.Y. Sup Ct, New York County Feb. 26, 2019), a personal injury case, the court stated and applied the general rule regarding discovery of a plaintiff’s social media postings. Here is the court’s summary of the general rule: Social media information is…
Read More Court Permits Limited Social Media Discovery in Personal Injury CaseIn Constance Felice, appellant, v Metropolitan Diagnostic Imaging Group, LLC, et al., respondents, et al., defendant., No. 2016/10529 (Index No. 4471/11), 2019 WL 1272557 (N.Y.A.D. 2 Dept., Mar. 20, 2019) – an employment discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation case – the court precluded plaintiff from using at trial certain audio files that were the subject…
Read More Audio Files, Not Produced, Precluded in Sexual Harassment CaseIn Kong v. Morrison-Tennenbaum PLLC, 2019 NY Slip Op 30529(U), 156864/2016 (Sup. Ct. NY Cty. March 1, 2019), an employment discrimination case, the court determined that various “requests to admit” were improper. Judge Chan discussed the parameters of this disclosure device: A notice to admit “is to be used only for disposing of uncontroverted questions…
Read More Court Strikes Requests to Admit in Employment Discrimination CaseIn O’Halloran v. Metropolitan Transp. Auth., 2019 NY Slip Op 01318 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Feb. 21, 2019), an employment discrimination case, the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously affirmed the lower court’s decision granting plaintiff’s motion (pursuant to CPLR 3124) compelling the defendant to provide certain discovery. Citing New York CPLR 3101(a) and relevant case law,…
Read More Order Compelling Discovery in Employment Discrimination Case Affirmed