Au New Haven, LLC et al v. YKK Corporation

Filing 729

ORDER denying without prejudice 711 Motion. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiffs' motion is denied without prejudice. B y reading additional limitations into the Court's comments during the September 21, 2020 h earing, Plaintiffs effectively seek to have the Court reconsider its prior ruling. The Court declines t o do so. If D efendants seek to introduce Mr. Blunt's deposit i on at trial and Plaintiffs feel that such use would be in violation of Rule 32, they are invited to renew their motion at that time. T he Clerk of Court is directed to terminate the motion pending at Dkt. No. 711. (Signed by Judge Gregory H. Woods on 1/7/2021) (rro)

Case 1:15-cv-03411-GHW-SN Document 729 Filed 01/07/21 Page 1 of 4

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
----------------------------------------------------------------X
AU NEW HAVEN, LLC and TRELLEBORG
:
COATED SYSTEMS US, INC.,
:
:
Plaintiffs, :
:
-v :
:
YKK CORPORATION, YKK HONG KONG :
LTD., YKK FASTENING PRODUCTS SALES :
INC., SHANGHAI YKK ZIPPER CO., LTD.,
:
SHANGHAI YKK TRADING CO., LTD., YKK :
CANADA INC., YKK TAIWAN CO., LTD., P.T. :
YKK ZIPPER INDONESIA, YKK
:
BANGLADESH PTE. LTD., YKK KOREA CO., :
LTD., YKK FRANCE SARL, DALIAN YKK
:
ZIPPER CO., LTD., YKK VIETNAM CO.,
:
LTD., YKK DEUTSCHLAND GMBH, YKK
:
(THAILAND) CO., LTD., YKK (U.K.) LTD.,
:
YKK ZIPPER (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD., YKK :
AUSTRIA GMBH, YKK ITALIA S.P.A., OOO :
YKK a/k/a YKK RUSSIA, YKK METAL VE
:
PLASTIK URUNLERI SANAYI VE TICARET :
A.S., and YKK (U.S.A.) INC.
:
:
Defendants.:
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USDC SDNY
DOCUMENT
ELECTRONICALLY FILED
DOC #: _________________
DATE FILED: 1/7/2021

1:15-cv-3411-GHW
ORDER

GREGORY H. WOODS, United States District Judge:
During the September 21, 2020 teleconference regarding the parties’ motions in limine, the
Court granted a limited one-sided extension of the fact discovery deadline to permit Plaintiffs to
depose Messrs. Blunt, Dwyer, Hoeferlin, and Law. See Sept. 21, 2020 Hearing Tr. 37:23-38:20.
Plaintiffs now move for an order regarding Mr. Blunt’s deposition, and request that the Court direct
Defendants to produce certain documents in advance of Mr. Blunt’s deposition, and that
Defendants be prohibited from using Mr. Blunt’s deposition testimony at trial and from conducting
any deposition cross-examination of Mr. Blunt. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Order re: Deposition of
Michael Blunt (“Mot.”), Dkt. No. 711. Defendants opposed the motion on December 11, 2020.
YKK’s Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Order re: Deposition of Michael Blunt (“Opp.”), Dkt.

Case 1:15-cv-03411-GHW-SN Document 729 Filed 01/07/21 Page 2 of 4

N o. 7 2 1. Pl ai ntiffs r e pli e d o n D e c e m b er 1 4, 2 0 2 0 . D kt. N o. 7 2 4. F or t h e r e as o ns s et f ort h b el o w,
Pl ai ntiffs’ m oti o n is d e ni e d wit h o ut pr ej u di c e .
First, t h e C o urt d e ni es wit h o ut pr ej u di c e Pl ai ntiffs ’ r e q u est t h at t h e C o urt or d er D ef e n d a nts
t o pr o d u c e dis c o v er y as t o Mr. Bl u nt pri or t o his d e p ositi o n. Pl ai ntiff s h a v e r e q u est e d t h e f oll o wi n g
d o c u m e nts:
1. F or t h e p eri o d b e gi n ni n g o n t h e d at e o n w hi c h Bl u nt’s e m pl o y m e nt wit h Y K K
e n d e d t o t h e pr es e nt, all writt e n c o m m u ni c ati o ns b et w e e n Bl u nt a n d Y K K c o n c er ni n g
t his a cti o n a n d all d o c u m e nts c o n c er ni n g a n y or al c o m m u ni c ati o ns b et w e e n Bl u nt a n d
Y K K c o n c er ni n g t h is a cti o n (i n cl u di n g a n y a gr e e m e nts, pr o p os e d or fi n ali z e d,
b et w e e n Bl u nt a n d Y K K f or Bl u nt t o t estif y li v e at tri al); a n d
2. T h os e d o c u m e nts w hi c h m ost c o n cis el y st at e a n y p ositi o ns e v er h el d wit h Y K K b y
Bl u nt, a n d t h os e d o c u m e nts w hi c h m ost c o n cis el y s t at e t h e r es p o nsi biliti es a n d
a ut h orit y ass o ci at e d wit h e a c h s u c h p ositi o n.
M ot . at 2.
T h e C o urt’s S e pt e m b er 2 1, 2 0 2 0 d e cisi o n o nl y r e o p e n e d dis c o v er y f or t h e li mit e d p ur p os e of
p er mitti n g Pl ai ntiffs t o c o n d u ct a d diti o n al d e p ositi o ns, n ot t o s er v e a d diti o n al r e q u ests f or pr o d u cti o n
of d o c u m e nts.

See S e pt. 2 1, 2 0 2 0 H e ari n g Tr. 4 4: 2 2 -2 3 ( “[ T] h e r uli n g is li mit e d t o p er mitti n g

d e p ositi o ns of e a c h of t h es e i n di vi d u als. ” ), 4 5: 1 7-1 9 (“ I w a nt t o m a k e it cl e ar t h at, at t his p oi nt, m y
r uli n g is j ust to p er mit t h e d e p ositi o ns of t h es e p e o pl e a n d n ot t o r e o p e n pl e n ar y dis c o v er y . . . . ”).
T h e C o urt cl e arl y st at e d t h at , w hil e it w as n ot cl osi n g t h e d o or t o a l at er r e q u est t o r e o p e n dis c o v er y
b e y o n d t h e li mit e d d e p ositi o ns, it “ w o ul d n e e d a littl e bit m ore, p er h a ps e v e n s u bst a nti all y m or e, . . .
t o c o n cl u d e t h at, i n a d diti o n t o t h e d e p ositi o ns, t h at [it] w o ul d r e o p e n dis c o v er y o n a br oa d er b asis[.]”
I d. at 4 5:1 1 -1 4 . T h e C o urt i n vit e d t h e p arti es t o pr es e nt it wit h a d diti o n al i nf or m ati o n i n c o n n e cti o n
wit h a n y s u c h a r e q u est. F urt h er m or e, i n r es p o ns e t o Pl ai ntiffs ’ c o u ns el’s st at e m e nts t h at t h e y w o ul d
s e e k t o r e q u est a d diti o n al d o c u m e nts r e g ar di n g Mr. Bl u nt, i d. at 4 1: 1 9-4 2: 4, D ef e n d a nts’ c o u ns el
r es p o n d e d “t h e y alre a d y h a v e t h e d o c u m e nts wit h Mr. Bl u nt ’s n a m e as p art of t h e Y K K d o c u m e nt
pr o d u cti o n. S o t h at o n e s e e ms r el ati v el y e as y, a n d I' m h a p p y t o w or k wit h Mr. D a ni els t o m a k e t h at
h a p p e n. ” I d. at 4 2: 1 9-2 3.
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Case 1:15-cv-03411-GHW-SN Document 729 Filed 01/07/21 Page 3 of 4

Pl ai ntiffs di d n ot se e k le a v e fr o m t h e C o urt t o pr o p o u n d t h eir a d diti o n al do c u m e nt r e q u ests
o n D ef e n d a nts a n d Mr. Bl u nt.
dis c o v er y.

To be c l e ar, th e C o urt h as n ot cl os e d t h e d o or t o per mitti n g br o a d er

B ut Plai ntiffs h a v e n ot c o m pli e d wit h th e C o urt’s dir e cti o n th at, if th e y wis h e d t o se e k

a d diti o n al do c u m e nts, th e y m ust first ex pl ai n wh y th e li mit e d dis c o v er y or d er e d b y th e Co urt is
i ns uffi ci e nt. A n d, it is n ot cl e ar b as e d o n Pl ai ntiffs’ s u b missi o ns w h y t h e y n e e d d o c u m e nts o utsi d e
of t h e t h o us a n ds r el at e d to Mr. Bl u nt alr e a d y pr o d u c e d b y D e f e n d a nts. See O p p. at 4 . I n a d diti o n,
t h e C o urt d e cli n es to m a ke a f ar-re a c hi n g d et er mi n ati o n on wh et h er a ny a n ti ci p at e d d o c u m e nts ar e
p r ot e ct e d b y at t or n e y- cli e nt pri vil e g e o r th e w or k - pr o d u ct d o ctri n e wi t h o ut a n y d o c u m e nts i n fr o nt
of it. T h er ef or e, Pl ai ntiffs’ r e q u est f or a n or d er dir e cti n g D ef e n d a nts t o r es p o n d t o t h eir d o c u m e nt
r e q u ests is d e ni e d.
S e c o n d, Pl ai ntiffs ’ r e q u est t h at “ this C o urt [ ] or d er th at, ot h er th a n pr o p er d e p ositi o n cr ossd esi g n ati o ns, (1) Y K K c a n n ot us e a n y of Bl u nt’ s de p ositi o n testi m o n y at tri al re g ar dl ess of th e
r e as o n w h y Bl u nt s u bs e q u e ntl y m a y n ot testif y li v e a n d (2) Y KK ca n n ot co n d u ct a n y d ep ositi o n
cr oss- e x a mi n ati o n of Bl u nt ” is d e ni e d wit h o ut pr ej u di c e . See M ot . at 3. T hi s r e q u est ru ns str ai g ht
i nto t h e te et h of F e d er al R ul e of Ci vil P r o c e d ur e 3 2( a)(4), w hi c h e x pr essl y p er mits p arti es to us e
d e p ositi o n t esti m o n y a t tri al if th e w it n ess is u n a v ail a bl e for v ari o us r e as o ns, in cl u di n g “ a g e, ill n ess,
[or] inf ir mit y” or, if, o n m oti o n a nd n oti c e, “e x c e pti o n al cir c u mst a n c es ma k e it d esir a bl e[.] ” F e d. R.
Ci v. P. ( 3 2 )( a)( 4)( C), (E) . W e ar e in th e mi dst of a gl o b al p an d e mi c, a n d it is still u n cert ai n h o w
iss u es rel at e d to C OVI D -1 9 will im p a ct th e tri al in this cas e. T h e c urr e nt c risis h as o nl y in cr e as e d
t h e li k eli h o o d th at wit n ess es

m a y n ot b e a vail a bl e for li v e testi m o n y.

As st at e d o n t h e re c or d d uri n g

t h e Se pt e m b er 21, 20 2 0 c o nf er e n c e , t h e C o ur t e x pr essl y d e ci d e d a g ai nst e x cl u di n g Mr. B l u nt’s
t esti m o n y. See S e pt. 2 1, 2 0 2 0 H e ari n g Tr. 3 7: 1 9 -3 8: 5 ( “ B al a n ci n g all of th e Desig n Strategy f a ct ors,
a n d r e c o g ni zi n g th at th e e x cl usi o n of evi d e n c e is th e less fa v or e d s ol uti o n, I’ m n ot g oi n g to pr e cl u d e
t h e testi m o n y of M essrs. Bl u nt D w y er, H o e f erli n, a n d L a w u n d e r 3 7( c)( 1). I b eli e v e th at a less er
3

Case 1:15-cv-03411-GHW-SN Document 729 Filed 01/07/21 Page 4 of 4

s a n cti o n is a p pr o pri at e h er e.”). I nst e a d, th e C o urt d et er mi n e d t h at D ef e n d a nts s h o ul d b e
s a n cti o n e d b y p er mitti n g Pl ai ntiffs t o d e p os e Mr. Bl u nt at D ef e n d a nts’ e x p e ns e . T h er ef or e, g i v e n
t h e u n c ert ai nt y of h o w t h e gl o b al p an d e mi c will i m p a ct t h e a v ail a bilit y of li v e wit n ess es , a n d t h at
D ef e n d a nts h a v e b e e n p er mitt e d t o pr es e nt Mr. Bl u nt’s t esti m o n y at tri al, at t his ti m e, t h e C o urt
d e cli n es t o a d o pt a bl a n k et pr o hi biti o n a g ai nst D ef e n d a nts’ us e of Mr. Bl u nt’s d e p ositi o n t est i m o n y
at tri al.
U n d er F e d er al R ul e of Ci vil Pr o c e d ur e 3 0( c)( 1), D ef e n d a nts ar e e ntitl e d t o cr oss -e x a mi n e a
wit n ess d e p os e d b y Pl ai ntiffs. “ T h e e x a mi n ati o n a n d cr oss -e x a mi n ati o n of a d e p o n e nt pr o c e e d as
t h e y w o ul d at tri al u n d er t h e F e d er al R ul es of E vid e n c e, e x c e pt R ul es 1 0 3 a n d 6 1 5. ” F e d. R. Ci v. P.
3 0( c)( 1). As st at e d a b o v e , b as e d o n t h e c urr e nt cir c u mst a n c es, it is u n c ert ai n as t o w h et h er Mr.
Bl u nt will b e a v ail a bl e t o pr o vi d e li v e t esti m o n y at tri al. D ef e n d a nts ar e p er mitt e d t o pr es er v e his
t estim o n y, as pr o vi d e d u n d er R ul e 3 0( c). T h e r ef or e, t h e C o urt d e cli n e s t o pr o hi bit D ef e n d a nts fr o m
c o n d u cti n g a n e x a mi n ati o n of Mr. Bl u nt d uri n g his d e p ositi o n.
B y r e a di n g a d diti o n al li mit ati o ns i nt o t h e C o urt’s c o m m e nts d uri n g t h e S e pt e m b er 2 1, 2 0 2 0
h e ari n g, Pl ai ntiffs eff e cti v el y s e e k t o h a v e t h e C o urt r e c o nsi d er its pri or r uli n g. T h e C o urt d e cli n es
t o d o s o. If D ef e n d a nts s e e k t o i ntr o d u c e Mr. Bl u nt’s d e p osit i o n at tri al a n d Pl ai ntiffs f e el t h at s u c h
us e w o ul d b e i n vi ol ati o n of R ul e 3 2, t h e y ar e i n vit e d t o r e n e w t h eir m oti o n at t h at ti m e.
T h e Cl er k of C o urt is dir e ct e d t o t er mi n at e t h e m oti o n p e n di n g at D kt. N o. 7 1 1.
S O O R D E R E D.
D at e d: J a n u ar y 7 , 2 0 2 1

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G R E G O R Y H. W O O D S
U nit e d St at es Distri ct J u d g e

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