Campbell v. Feld Entertainment, Inc et al
Filing
257
ORDER Re Discovery Dispute Joint Report #7-9 182 183 184 . Signed by Magistrate Judge Howard R. Lloyd on 1/12/2015. (hrllc1, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/12/2015)
1
*E-Filed: January 12, 2015*
2
3
4
5
6
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
9
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
10
For the Northern District of California
NOT FOR CITATION
8
United States District Court
7
SAN JOSE DIVISION
11
SHANNON CAMPBELL,
No. C12-04233 LHK (HRL)
No. C13-00233 LHK (HRL)
Plaintiff,
12
v.
FELD ENTERTAINMENT INC., et al.,
ORDER re DISCOVERY DISPUTE
JOINT REPORT #7-#9
Defendants.
____________________________________/
[Re: Docket Nos. 182, 183, 184]
15
16
MARK ENNIS,
13
14
17
Plaintiff,
v.
18
19
20
21
FELD ENTERTAINMENT INC., et al.,
Defendants.
____________________________________/
Animal rights activists Shannon Campbell and Mark Ennis sue Feld Entertainment, Inc.,
22
23
doing business as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and several employees thereof
24
(collectively, “FEI”), for assault, battery, and interference with their rights arising from numerous
25
incidents in which Plaintiffs were allegedly harassed while protesting FEI’s circus events. Presently
26
before the Court are three Discovery Dispute Joint Reports (“DDJRs”). Each will be addressed in
27
turn.
28
///
1
A. Discovery Dispute Joint Report #7
contained 29 topics for testimony. According to FEI, some topics appeared to be copies of prior
4
document requests, some sought attorney-client or work product information, and others were
5
overbroad, burdensome, or could be gleaned from the video recordings that were produced. FEI
6
objected. In addition, FEI’s counsel advised Plaintiff’s counsel that except for net worth issues, it
7
appeared that Plaintiff was seeking someone to testify about policies/procedures/training for animal
8
walks, how routes are chosen/instructions from law enforcement regarding routes, and the securing
9
of walk permits. Plaintiff’s counsel agreed. FEI’s counsel followed up with an email confirming its
10
For the Northern District of California
Plaintiff served a Notice of Deposition of FEI pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 30(b)(6), which
3
United States District Court
2
offer of testimony on the following topics: (1) “A person or persons most knowledgeable regarding
11
the training and policies provided to Ringling personnel to guide their conduct during Ringling
12
Bros. animal walks in Northern California.”; (2) “A person or persons most knowledgeable
13
regarding how routes are chosen for the Ringling Bros. animals walks (including instructions
14
regarding those routes by law enforcement) in Northern California.”; and (3) “A person or persons
15
most knowledgeable regarding how Ringling Bros. obtains permits for its animal walks in Northern
16
California.” Before the depositions occurred, Plaintiff asked which topics were to be covered. FEI
17
reiterated the three categories above, and indicated that Topics 3, 19-23, and 26-29 were to be
18
covered by the deponents who were also percipient witnesses.
19
Plaintiff prepared DDJR #7 in response, seeking an order compelling testimony on Topics 4,
20
6-15, 17-21, and 23-29. Plaintiff contends that FEI has wrongfully failed to produce a witness on
21
the topics. FEI contends that the topics Plaintiff served for deposition were either properly objected
22
to or have already been the subject of testimony produced by FEI’s percipient and/or Fed. R. Civ. P.
23
30(b)(6) witnesses. Each topic will be addressed in turn.
24
Topic 4: Topic 4 requested “All documents produced to Plaintiff Campbell or plaintiff
25
Ennis by Defendant in the course of this case.” FEI objected that the topic was unintelligible,
26
unduly burdensome, and intended to harass. Plaintiff claims that the topic was meant to discover
27
the methods for searching for those documents. Plaintiff’s counsel asked the Rule 30(b)(6)
28
2
1
witnesses—Mike Stuart, David Bailey, and Janice Aria—about the methods for searching for the
2
documents, and testimony was permitted.
3
Topics 17-18: Topics 17 and 18 sought “Your communications with any Oakland Arena
4
employee or representative regarding permits or permit applications [or ‘permit issues’].” Plaintiff
5
argues that she seeks information regarding claims that “Defendants were acting at the direction of
6
arena personnel.” During Bailey’s deposition, Plaintiff asked questions about Topics 17 and 18.
7
Bailey is FEI’s designated witness on these two topics. Bailey participated in the communications
8
at issue, and he identified the venue and Oakland City people with whom he spoke.
9
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
11
Topics 19-21: Topics 19-21 seek testimony about venue representatives and
communications. Stuart and Bailey were designated on these topics and testified.
Topics 23-29: FEI provided a written statement prior to the Rule 30(b)(6) depositions that
12
Topics 23, 26-29 “will be covered by Bailey and Stuart.” Testimony has already been provided. In
13
regards to Topics 24 and 25 (“variances in street conditions” and “set off” from the public), FEI
14
objected to the requirement that someone at FEI be required to testify as to the topography of a
15
public street. Nonetheless, Stuart provided testimony on these topics.
16
Topics 6-15: Plaintiff seeks testimony on the following topics relating to FEI’s net worth:
17
the net worth and financial condition of FEI for the past 5 years (Topic 6); FEI’s balance sheets,
18
audited and/or unaudited, for the past 5 years (Topic 7); all documents ever provided to any
19
government agency regarding net worth (Topic 8); all of FEI’s financial statements for the past 5
20
years (Topic 9); FEI’s annual reports for the past 5 years (Topic 10); all of FEI’s semiannual and
21
quarterly financial statements for the past 5 years (Topic 11); Ringling Bros.’s revenues, profits, and
22
losses related to any venue for the past 5 years (Topics 12-14); and Ringling Bros.’s venues, profits,
23
and losses for events in certain cities for the past 5 years (Topic 15).
24
Plaintiff argues that the information sought will support the recovery of punitive damages
25
based upon her claims for assault and battery. Current net worth is the standard for consideration of
26
punitive damages. Plaintiff does not explain why this historical information regarding profits,
27
revenues, losses, and the like, is relevant. The scope of information she seeks goes beyond what is
28
necessary financial information to support a claim for punitive damages.
3
1
In addition, the actual net worth of the company has been provided to Plaintiff. After
2
Plaintiff served the deposition notice, FEI notified Plaintiff’s counsel that although no deponent
3
would be offered on these topics, FEI would provide a declaration regarding current net worth based
4
on audited financial statements. FEI subsequently provided Plaintiff a confidential declaration
5
regarding net worth from its Chief Financial Officer, in which the net worth from the most recent
6
audited consolidated financial statement for FEI was disclosed.
7
8
9
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
Accordingly, Plaintiff’s request for an order compelling testimony on Topics 4, 6-15, 17-21,
and 23-29 is denied.
B. Discovery Dispute Joint Report #8
FEI served a subpoena on Third-Party Joseph Cuviello requesting all videos that: (1) depict
11
any Ringling Bros. event or animal walk; (2) depict any past or present member of Humanity
12
Through Education (“HTE”) protesting against any Ringling Bros. event or animal walk; and (3)
13
depict any Ringling Bros. personnel. Cuviello objected that the requests were overly broad, unduly
14
burdensome, and sought materials not relevant to any claim or defense. FEI narrowed its request to
15
all videos from 2008-2012. Cuviello initially agreed, then declined, to produce the videos.
16
The parties submitted DDJR #3, which addressed whether Cuviello would be required to
17
produce the videos in response to the subpoena. In the Order Re: Discovery Dispute Joint Report
18
#1-6, this Court ordered that Cuviello produce a list of videos in his possession and control.
19
Cuviello produced the list, and Defendants requested a subset of videos from that list. Cuviello
20
refuses to produce the subset of videos. Cuviello contends that he has complied with the Court’s
21
Order by providing the list, and Defendants were required to serve a new document subpoena on
22
Cuviello in order to secure production of the videos, even though discovery closed before the
23
present DDJR was filed.
24
A formal request for the videos has already been made by virtue of the third-party subpoena
25
served upon Cuviello. The Order Re: Discovery Dispute Joint Report #1-6 directed Cuviello to
26
provide a list of videos, from which Defendants could select specific videos they wished to have
27
produced. Cuviello is required to produce the videos identified by FEI that are relevant for the
28
purposes of discovery, as explained below.
4
1
Cuviello argues that with respect to the other third parties in this action, the Court has only
2
ordered the production of videos depicting the incidents in the complaint. According to Cuviello,
3
because he is also a third-party witness, it would be “unfair and improper” to treat Cuviello
4
differently than the other third-party witnesses for which FEI issued identical documents requests.
5
Accordingly, Cuviello argues that his production should similarly be limited to videos depicting the
6
incidents in the complaint. The Court finds that only those videos depicting the incidents in the
7
complaint are relevant for the purposes of discovery. Accordingly, Cuviello is ordered to produce
8
all videos requested by FEI that depict the incidents described in the complaint.
9
Cuviello argues that he requires three months to produce the requested videos because they
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
encompass hundreds of hours of recordings. This argument is not credible. The production of these
11
videos shall be completed within 10 days from the date this Order is filed.
12
C. Discovery Dispute Joint Report #9
13
FEI has produced certain risk assessment reports prepared by third party Lowers and
14
Associates (FEI001622-FEI002799) in response to Ennis’s document requests. Lowers and
15
Associates is a risk management and private investigation firm employed by FEI. The reports
16
consist of risk assessments that evaluate the risk of potential conflicts with activists in advance of
17
Ringling Bros. circus performances, analysis of the activities, and organization of various animal
18
rights activists, including Ennis, HTE, and others. The reports also assess past circus performances
19
and animal walks with regard to the impact of animal rights activists on the events, and the reactions
20
of FEI employees, the public, and law enforcement.
21
FEI contends that it appropriately redacted irrelevant and non-responsive sensitive security
22
information from the reports concerning animal rights groups that are unrelated to HTE as well as
23
other information related to other potential security concerns unrelated to HTE. Ennis requests that
24
HTE produce unredacted versions of these reports. Ennis argues that the redacted portions should
25
be produced because they may show whether FEI regards other activists as lesser or greater threats
26
than HTE, or whether FEI takes similar actions against those activists.
27
28
FEI has produced all excerpts of the reports relating to the topics set forth in Ennis’s requests
for production, and Ennis does not dispute this. Ennis did not request production of documents
5
1
relating to the activities of other animal rights activists or any other security concerns unrelated to
2
HTE.
3
In addition, the redacted information relates to animal rights groups or individuals unrelated
4
to the present action. FEI has not asserted that Plaintiffs are working in concert with unrelated
5
animal rights groups and individuals in an attempt to disrupt FEI events. Nor has FEI asserted that
6
it takes special measures to protect itself against HTE and Plaintiffs, in contrast to other animal
7
rights activists. The information Ennis seeks is irrelevant to his claims. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1)
8
(a party has a right to discover non-privileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or
9
defense).
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
Accordingly, Ennis’s request for unredacted versions of the reports is denied.
CONCLUSION
11
12
13
14
15
16
The production of all materials described above shall be completed within 10 days from the
date this Order is filed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: January 12, 2015
HOWARD R. LLOYD
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
6
1
C12-04233 HRL Notice will be electronically mailed to:
2
G. Whitney Leigh whitney@leighlegal.com, alannah@leighlegal.com,
lhepner@gonzalezleigh.com, lisa@leighlegal.com
3
John Morgan Simpson
john.simpson@nortonrosefulbright.com
4
Matthew A. Siroka
mas@defendergroup.com, marken@sonic.net
5
Michelle C. Pardo
michelle.pardo@nortonrosefulbright.com
6
7
8
Peter Harold Mason peter.mason@nortonrosefulbright.com,
cynthia.pacheco@nortonrosefulbright.com
Richard Tyler Atkinson tatkinson@mcmanislaw.com, cmcclelen@mcmanislaw.com,
eschneider@mcmanislaw.com, svannorman@mcmanislaw.com
9
For the Northern District of California
United States District Court
10
Rubina Kazi rkazi@mcmanislaw.com, cmcclelen@mcmanislaw.com,
eschneider@mcmanislaw.com
11
Tarifa B Laddon
12
Todd Matthew Sorrell todd.sorrell@nortonrosefulbright.com,
mylene.ruiz@nortonrosefulbright.com
tarifa.laddon@nortonrosefulbright.com, mylene.ruiz@nortonrosefulbright.com
13
14
Counsel are responsible for distributing copies of this document to co-counsel who have not
registered for e-filing under the court’s CM/ECF program.
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
7
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?