Buchanan et al v. Sterling Construction Company Incorporated et al

Filing 107

ORDER granting in part and denying in part 67 MOTION to Compel Defendants to Produce Documents on Sterling's Privilege Log. Defendants must produce emails listed in the privilege log sent by or received by plaintiffs by 3/23/2018. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith) Parties notified.(gclair, 4)

United States District Court
Southern District of Texas

ENTERED
I THE U NI
N
TED STATES D I
STRI COU RT
CT
FOR THE SO UTHERN DI
STRI O F TEX AS
CT
HO USTON D I SI
VI ON

March 12, 2018
David J. Bradley, Clerk

M ARK BUCHAN AN and
DALE HO OVER
Pl i if ,
a ntf s

Ci lA cton No.4: cvvi
i
16- 3429

VS.

J RY
U

STERLI CO NSTRUCTI
NG
ON
COM PA NY I CORPORATED,
N
TEX AS STERLI CONSTRUCTI
NG
ON
COM PA NY ,and M I
LTON SCOW
D ef
endant .
s

j

5

Beor te Cou ti panif'moin ( .67 a ki t Co tt o rul
feh
r s litfs to Dkt ) s ng he ur o ver e
c t n c ai s of prvie a s t by St lng Consr i Com pany,I a Te
erai l m
i l ge s ered
eri
tucton
nc. nd xas
St lng Consr i Co. a t or t def nda s t pr
eri
tucton, , nd o der he
e nt o oduce appr m a el
oxi t y
addii
tonal docum e s Pl i if ha nar ow ed t r r
nt . a ntf s ve
r
hei equess t t ee cat i of
t o hr
egores
e ais:
m l1

1 8 e isa tordbyo rc i dbypli if;
) 4 mal uh e
r e eve
antfs

2) 1 e isrltdt t Sii I ve tgain;
9 mal eae o he rus n si to
3) 5 e isr ltdt teNrl a CTMC prj cs2
4 mal eae o h
W nd
oe t.
A ddr sng t fr tcat gor def nda s ha r us t pr
es i he is e y, e nt ve ef ed o oduce em ais aut ed
l hor
by orr cei by pl ntf s when t wer empl
e ved
ai if
hey
e
oyed by def ndant becaus t w er
e
s
e hey
e

' fn a t tida n e prvlg lg( . -)ls 2 e isa datc mc t ta weewih ed aon wih
Dee d ns hr me d d ii e o Dkt871 it 41 mal n tah ns h t r th l, l g t
e
t pa ofh
wo ges andwrte nots Pl nif do n s ekpr uctonoft ha rten n es
itn e . aitfs ot e
od i
he ndw it ot .

2Dee d nsa toe o rc ie 3 e isds usn t s poe t, oteei s meo elpb t e c tg r 1
fn a t uh rd r eev d 2 mal ic sig hee rj cs s h r s o v ra ewe n ae oy
a 3.
nd

*

unde t tum br l 'ofdef nda s'pr viege.D ef
r he û
ela'
e nt i l
endant i stt em ais ar prvie
s nsi he
l e i l ged

a t ney com m uni i and/ ator wor pr
tor
catons
or t ney
k oduct The bur i on def
.
den s
endant t
so
s
how t ator
he t ney c i nt prviege or t w or pr
le
il
he
k oductpr ecton i applca e.Unie
ot i s
i bl
td

St e v Ro i z 9 F. 91 ,91 ( t Ci.1 91 (ttn ta t bure of
ats . drque , 48 2d 4 6 5h r 9 ) saig h t he d n
e tbihn te atr e cint p i lge awa s rss O te p ry camig i)
sa ls ig h to n y-le rvie l y e t n h a t li n t.
Def
endant have poi ed t no aut iy t s
s
nt o
hort o uppor t r i s ence t a pary cannot
t hei nsit
hat
t
obt n copi of e ais he hi s l a hor or r cei
ai
es
m l
m e f ut ed
e ved m e el bec e t
r y
aus hat

c m uni i i ved an a t ney.
om
caton nvol
tor
The ator cle prviege l ot ct di l e of confde i com m uni i
t ney- int i l
t e s sc osur
pr
i ntal
catons

b t e t e cinta a tr y. Up oh Co.v Unie St e ,44 U. 3 3 ,1
ewe n h le nd to ne ' j n
'
. t d ats 9 S. 83, 89 01

S. .6 ,66L. 2d58 ( 981; nr Gr ndJ yPr e digs 51 F. 66 6 ( h
Ct 77
Ed. 4 1 ) l e a Wr oc e n , 7 2d 6, 70 5t
Ci.9 )(ûh c
r1 75 ç e ommu c ton rltst afc ofwhih t at ne wa i ome ()
t
niai eae o a t
c he tor y s nf r d a
b hi dint ( wi t t pr snc o Nr n r't mpha i a de ) De e nt'
y s e b) t
hou he e e e f /c gcx' e
l
ss d d . fnda s
a gum entf l att s s e Beca e pl i if w er pa tes t t c m uni i ,t e
r
ais hi t p.
us a ntf s
e ri o he om
catons hos
c m uni i
om
catons wer not confde i as t t . Even i t e em ais m i be
e
i ntal
o hem
f hes
l
ght

pr ect by t w or pr
ot ed
he
k oductprviege,t prviege w a ne sa iy w ai f any
i l
hat i l
s ces rl
ved or
e ai a hor by orr ved by pl ntf sbeca e i w a act ly di cl ed t t .See
m l ut ed
ecei
ai if
us t s ua l s os o hem

Fe k v Nat As n f rStc Ca Aut Racng I . 21 F. D.1 5,1 ( D. X
ro . 1 s' o o k r o i , nc, 8 R. 2 36 E. Te .
2 03( ig t two k prdu tprvie i wave i t wo k- o uc i ds l e t
0 )notn ha r o c i lge s i d f he r pr d t s icos d o
a ve s re )
d r a is .

3

is ega di
Pl ntf s next s k pr
ai if
ee
oducton of em a l r r ng t Sii i tgaton
i
he r us nves i i

utons nvesi ton
s ue s hei
beca e tst lng a TSC have put Sii Sol i ' i tga i at i s a t r
us i eri
nd
rus
pur t r as f t nni tng Pl ntf s ....'Pl i if cont t def
pored e on or e na i
ai if
' a ntf s
end hat endant a e
s r

û dkng c mmunia ins wih a t r pa t a ou t t i si ton ' be a e i wil
t i ) o
hi
c to
t hid ry b t ha nve tga i ,' c us t l
s
how t ûsii w as a i on t i t uctons of St lng. The Cour agr s t t
hat k r us
ctng
he nsr i
eri '
'
t te ha
pl ntf s a e entted t di c
ai if r
il o s over any c m uni i m ade t or f om Sii aboutis
om
catons
o
r
rus
t

i si i i o t $5, a
nve tgaton nt he 000 dvance t Si
o mon Di Def nt cl m t have
az. enda s ai hey
pr
oduced a 1s com m uni i ,a t i s
l uch
catons nd hat s uppore by t prviege 1 enti The
td
he i l
og res.
enti s i ii by pl ntf s i ude 15 em a l bet een def
re dentfed
ai if ncl
is w
endant a outi couns l
s nd s de
e
att l w fr of Andr
he a im
ews & Kurh,3 em ais f om St lng' i hous couns ,a one
t
l r
eri s ne
el nd

e i ( rv.l 1 6) bewe n S e lng' e o e ;no o t s e iswe e s n t o
mal P i d 0 , t e t ri s mpl ye s ne f he e ma l r e t o r
f om Sii orany ot rt r per on.
r
rus
he hid s
Beca e t e c m uni tons di not i l
us hes om
ca i
d
nc ude a t r pa t t ator clent
hid ry, he t ney i
prviege w as notw a ve f t e ais s t orr cei f om St ri s a t ney.The
il
i d or he m l ent o
e ved r
e lng' tor

Cou tde lne t fndû u jc matr'wav re e di t t s c
r ci s o i t b e t te' ie xtn ng o he e ommuniainswhe
s
c to
n
t y w e e not m ade t or f om Sii . The f ct t t def
he
r
o
r
rus
a ha
endant wer com m uni i
s
e
catng
i er ly, or w ih t r ator
nt na l
t hei t ney, a
bout t i tga i does not s
he nves i ton
uppor pl ntf s
t ai if '
c e i t tt he Def
ont nton ha û
t
enda s or t rator
nt
hei t neysw er as itng i dr tng or m odiyi
e ss i n afi
f ng
t r por .
he e t'
'

3The Cour n est ti i n entr y cea wha d
t ot ha t s ot iel l r t ocum ent pli if s k i t scat y be us t rmoton
s antfs ee n hi egor ca e hei
i

( t6 )a drpy( t9 )c nandfee tl t, t smeo elp, fd c me t o tepiie elgta fli
Dk. 7 n e l Dk. 5 o ti ifrn i s wih o v ra o o u ns n h rvlg o h t aln
s
ti c tg y Th c u tas me pantf s e onytemaeil ie tfe i temo trc n ( .9 )fln a
hs ae or. e o r su s li i s e k l h tras d niid n h s e c t Dkt 5 iig s
f
ta rpl ke u ed teis e frteCo r' c n ieain'
h t e y t d c j)h su s o h u ts o sd rto .
r
'

The r m a ni em ai i notpr ect by t ator clentprviege,buti ead i
e i ng
ls
ot ed
he t ney- i
il
nst s
cove ed by t w or pr
r
he
k oductprviege.l i nots t or f om an ator y,nor does i
il
ts
ent o
r
t ne
t
i cat i a w ay t tt aut ,Kevi M a ng,i r a ng advi oran opi on f om
ndi e n ny
ha he hor
n nni s el yi
ce
ni r
an ator
t ney.Rat ,i i a di c son ofSt lng' s r e i t ltgaton i vi St
her t s
s us i
eri s tat gy n he ii i nvol ng ar

Ope a i .Be
r tons caus i cont ns t ç e a i pr sons concl i
et
ai he t nt l m es i ,
m
us ons,opi ons or l gal
ni , e
t i s ofan ator orot r pr ent i ofa pa t ' i qualfes f pr ec i unde
heore
t ney
her e es atve
ry,' t
ii or ot ton
r

tewor pr uc p i lge I r Kaie Almi m & Che Co.21 F. 58 5 ( h
h
k od t rvie . n e s r u nu
m. , 4 3d 6, 93 5t
Ci.2 0) Pli if h v n e tbih dt prvie wa wav d f ti e i,n d
r 00 . antfs a e ot sa ls e he i lge s ie or hs mal or o
t expl n how i i r l ntt t Sii i tgaton.
hey
ai
t s e eva o he rus nves i i

Thefna c tg y i e isrltd t te NTTA a
i l ae or s mal eae o h
ndCTM C p oe t.Pli if
r jcs antfs
a gue t def nda shavew ai d any cl m s ofprviege r di t s em aisbeca e
r
hat e nt
ve
ai
i l
egar ng he e
l
us
t
hey di cl e ot c m uni i
s os d her om
catons on t e t c They i i t t def
hos opi s.
ns s hat endant
s

pod c d drf me a da a c
r u e at morn nd ommunc to rg r ig te Nrl p oe t a d
iains e a dn h
W r jcs n
t r f r wave prv lg f ra y c mmu c tonr lt d t t NTTA pr j c . y as
hee o e i d i ie e o n o nia i ea e o he
o e t The lo
cont
end t def nda s' expers cl m t e was :s fci l gal docum ent ton t
hat e nt
t ai her
ûufi ent e
ai o
s
uppor t cl m a
t he ai ccountng' and t e e ais ar needed t t t tut of t e
i '
hes m l e
o est he r h
hes

opi ons Pl ntf s'a gum e i tl br
ni . ai if r
nt s to oad.
W he t prvie i w a ved by us ng t i or aton i s f def e,ç a r s
n he i l ge s i
i hat nf m i n el- ens l ines
f
di t t t
c a es hat t w ai r s
he
ve houl be nar owl consr d' and onl a i s t
d
r y
tue '
y pple o
c muni i on t s fc t c oft r e nt ton act l di c os Ape A//
om
catons
he pecii opi
he epr se a i
ualy s l ed. x in.

Fu dv N- p.Se ,8 F.S p.1 3,1 30( D. X.1 3 .He e t s cfctpis
n . Gr c. 41 up 42 4 S. Te 99 ) r ,he pe ii o c
i ii by pl ntf s as t ba i f t w ai ar t NR' A m em or
dentfed
ai if
he s s or he
ver e he T
anda pr par by
e ed

M ar Buchanan and Ver Howeron.See Dkt 67,p.11;Dkt 95,p.6.A l oft em ais
k
non
t
.
.
1 he
l

ie iidbyplitfsa rltdt t NR1 p oe te e f on ( i I .80 , r
d ntfe
anif s eae o he v' r jc, xc pt or e Prv. d ) wee
A
s by or t pl ntf s and w ilbe pr
ent
o ai if
l
oduc as di c s eari r The r ai ng em ai
ed
s us ed le .
em ni
l
w a s sx weeks afe t Howeron m e or ndum w as pr ed and a
s ent i
t r he
t
m a
epar
ppea s t ha
r o ve

no diectconnecton t t tis s i w ilnotbe pr
r
i o ha s ue, o t l
oduc For t em ais i ii by
ed.
he
l dentfed

plitfs a rltn t te CTMC prj c,t r ae eghte e tiswhih wee n
anif s eaig o h
oe t hee r i e n nre
c r ot
w rten by ors t pl ntf s4The a e ea i ntfe as a E m uni i r gar ng
it
ent o ai if .
y r ch de ii d
û
com
caton e di
s te ent sr e r l t t CTM C.'A s um i def
etl m
tat gy e a ed o
' s ng endant w a ved any prvieges f
s i
i l
or
t m em or
he
anda t ha bee di l ed,t e em ais ar unr l ed t t
hat ve n sc os
hes
l e e at o hose m em or
anda.
They w er pr ed afe t m em or nda a di cus s tem entsr egy.
e epar
t r he
a
nd s s etl
tat
The fnalt o iem spl ntf ss t compelar r ct t s e r sere res'
i w t
ai if eek o
e eda ed t put egit nti '
di

p e rdbyM ih e Dufyrve lngi or to f ro ytr ep oe t. Prv.l 1 0&
rpae
c a l f e ai nf main o nl h e rj cs ( i d. 6
1 4 .Plitfs agu t s e re ae r lva t t qu si ofwh t r t r wa
8 ) anif r e he e ntis r ee nt o he e ton
ehe hee s
s fci l
uf i ent egal s
uppor f t c ai ac
t or he l m countng becaus t
i
e hey wil s
l how i t e was
f her

t ogr s m ade on r
t
pr e s
ecove i a oft cl i s a i ue i t sca ' They cor ec l not
rng ny he a m t ss n hi se.'
r ty e
t t e em ais ar neiher s ntt nor r ved fom an ator
hat hes
l e t
e o
ecei
r
t ney s t a t ney- i
o he tor
clent

prvie does not a y.Pl i if f l t addr s def
i l ge
ppl
a ntf s aied o
es
endant as e ton of t w or
s' s r i
he
k
pr
oduct prviege over t e m a era s. D ef
il
hes
t il
endant des i d t e em ais t be
s
crbe hes
l o
ûc m uni ton r r ng ongoi ltga i m a t s a bir tons a ot diput s and
kom
ca i ega di
ng ii ton ter , r t a i
nd her s e

dea i /
dlnes nextsepsr l ed t et ' Pl i if ha nota gued,nors n,t t wor
t c at her o.' a ntf s ve
r
how hat he k
pr
oduc prviege w as wai f t tdiput r sres' ort tt i or aton s
t i l
ved or he û s e egit i ,' ha he nf m i ought
4prv. I 234- 249, 61,2 266,26 70,273- 294- 297- 301,
i d. 35,
260- 63,
974,
95, 99,
303.

c onl be obt ned f om t se m at i s Regar ng pl ntf s'ar e t t i needs
an y
ai
r
he
eral .
di
ai if
gum nt ha t
t s e ais t l es ' t tut of t e r s poston,t have not s
he e m l o l t' he r h
t
he xpe t ' ii hey
hown t t e
hat hes
em ais or tdi put r s res' a e t t of tl
l
û s e egiti ' r he ype
tegaldoc ent i t s
um aton o uppor t cl m
t he ai

accountng' t experswer dicus i
i ' he
t
e s sng.

Ac o d n y t Cou tgr nt i pa t a d de i si pa t pl itfs mo i n ( t
c r i gl , he r a s n r, n n e n r, an if ' to Dk .

67 .
)
Def
endant ar or ed t pr
s e der o oduce a 1em ais ls ed i t prviege l s by or
l
l it n he i l
og ent
r cei by pl ntf s by Frday,M a c 23,201
e ved
ai if
i
rh
8;
A1 ot r
l her eque ed r i i deni
st elef s
ed.

Sine a Hou tn, xa onMac l ,2 8.
g d t so Te s
rh Q 01

St en W m .Sm ih
ep
t
Unied St e M agi ta e J
t
at
sr t udge