American Guard Services, Inc. v. Terminal Security Solutions, Inc. et al
Filing
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ORDER granting in part and denying in part Defendants' 42 Motion to Compel and for Sanctions signed by U.S. District Judge John C Coughenour. (TH)
THE HONORABLE JOHN C. COUGHENOUR
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE
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AMERICAN GUARD SERVICES, INC., a
California corporation,
CASE NO. C18-0603-JCC
ORDER
Plaintiff,
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v.
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TERMINAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS, INC.,
a California corporation, et al.,
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Defendants.
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This matter comes before the Court on Defendant Terminal Security Solution’s (“TSS”)
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motion to compel discovery and for sanctions (Dkt. No. 42). Having thoroughly considered the
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parties’ briefing and the relevant record, the Court finds oral argument unnecessary and hereby
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GRANTS in part and DENIES in part the motion for the reasons explained herein.
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I.
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BACKGROUND
The Court has previously set forth the facts of this case and will not repeat them here.
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(See Dkt. No. 47.) While employed by Plaintiff, Defendant Tor Wallen observed Ousama
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Karawia, also known as Sam Wafaa’s, involvement with directing Plaintiff, such as whether
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Plaintiff bid on contracts and how Plaintiff set pricing. (Dkt. No. 42 at 3–4.) After Plaintiff filed
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the present lawsuit in April 2018, Plaintiff initially refused to respond to Defendants’
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interrogatory as to the identity of Plaintiff’s owners. (Id. at 4.) After meeting and conferring,
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Plaintiff identified Sherif and Sherine Assal as Plaintiff’s owners. (Id.)
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In December 2018, defense counsel learned via lawsuits filed in Maine and California
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that Karawia is a convicted felon and may have an ownership interest in Plaintiff. (Id. at 5–6;
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Dkt. No. 44-1 at 2–19, 22–61.) Defendants served an amended notice of deposition pursuant to
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Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(b)(6), which included the following topic: “Topic 23: AGS’s
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and its affiliates’ relationship with Ousama Karawia (aka Sam Karawia aka Sam Wafaa)
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including his involvement with operations, any compensation paid to him, and how his role
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affects any designation as a women-owned business entity.” (Dkt. Nos. 42 at 6–7, 44-1 at 63–
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68.) Plaintiff indicated that it was not inclined to produce a witness on the topic, and Plaintiff’s
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Rule 30(b)(6) witness testified that he was unaware of Karawia’s role. (Dkt. Nos. 42 at 7; 44-1 at
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71–73, 77–78.) Plaintiff subsequently declined to designate a witness on the Karawia topic, and
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the parties’ meet and confers have not resolved the issue. (Dkt. Nos. 42 at 7, 44-1 at 81–82.)
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Plaintiff has not moved for a protective order as to the Rule 30(b)(6) deposition. (Dkt. No. 44 at
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2.)
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Defendant TSS now moves for an order compelling Plaintiff to provide a Rule 30(b)(6)
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witness on Topic 23 of Defendants’ amended deposition notice and for sanctions equivalent to
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their reasonable attorney fees and costs associated with bringing the motion. (Dkt. No. 42 at 7.)
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Plaintiff opposes the motion and also requests sanctions. (Dkt. N0. 52.)
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II.
DISCUSSION
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A.
Motion to Compel
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The Court strongly disfavors discovery motions and prefers that parties resolve discovery
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disputes on their own. “Parties may obtain discovery regarding any nonprivileged matter that is
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relevant to any party’s claim or defense and proportional to the needs of the case.” Fed. R. Civ.
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P. 26(b)(1). If requested discovery is withheld inappropriately or not answered, the requesting
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party may move for an order compelling such discovery. Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(a)(1). If a party fails
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to comply with a discovery order, the Court may also sanction that party accordingly. Fed. R.
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Civ. P. 37(b)(2). The Court has broad discretion to decide whether to compel disclosure of
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discovery. Phillips ex rel. Estates of Byrd v. Gen. Motors Corp., 307 F.3d 1206, 1211 (9th Cir.
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2002). Sanctions under Rule 37(b) are likewise left to the Court’s discretion. David v. Hooker,
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Ltd., 560 F.2d 412, 418 (9th Cir. 1977).
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On a motion to compel, the movant must demonstrate that “the information it seeks is
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relevant and that the responding party’s objections lack merit.” Hancock v. Aetna Life Ins. Co.,
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C16-1697-JLR, Dkt. No. 63 at 9 (W.D. Wash. 2017). The Court ordinarily construes relevant
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information “broadly to encompass any matter that bears on, or that reasonably could lead to
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other matter that could bear on, any issue that is or may be in the case.” Oppenheimer Fund, Inc.,
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et al. v. Sanders, 437 U.S. 340, 351 (1978). In determining whether sought discovery is
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proportional to the needs of the case, the Court considers “the importance of the issues at stake in
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the action, the amount in controversy, the parties’ relative access to relevant information, the
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parties’ resources, the importance of the discovery in resolving the issues, and whether the
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burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs its likely benefit.” Fed. R. Civ. P.
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26(b)(1).
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On February 14, 2019, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint against Defendants. (Dkt.
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No. 57.) Defendants filed a corresponding amended answer and counterclaim against Plaintiff,
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which asserts illegality of contract as an affirmative defense. (Dkt. No. 62 at 18.) Defendants’
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illegality of contract defense is based on Karawia’s possible ownership interest in Plaintiff and
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status as a convicted felon. (Dkt. No. 42 at 1–2.) As Defendants’ present motion seeks discovery
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underlying their affirmative defense of illegality of contract, the information is relevant. Further,
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as the stakes in this case are substantial, Plaintiff has greater access to information regarding
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Karawia’s role, the sought discovery is important for resolving the validity of Defendants’
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affirmative defense, and Defendant seeks to depose a single Rule 30(b)(6) witness on the limited
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topic of Karawia’s role, (see Dkt. No. 42 at 3), the sought discovery is proportional to the needs
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of the case.
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III.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, Defendants’ motion to compel discovery and for sanctions
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(Dkt. No. 42) is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. Plaintiff is ORDERED to make
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available a Rule 30(b)(6) witness with knowledge to testify regarding Topic 23 of Defendants’
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amended notice of deposition. The Court DENIES both parties’ requests for sanctions.
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DATED this 26th day of March 2019.
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John C. Coughenour
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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ORDER
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