Civil Procedure II Outline - Part 5

(g) Class Counsel.

1. Appointing Class Counsel. Unless a statute provides otherwise, a court that certifies a class must appoint class counsel. In appointing class counsel, the court:
   1. must consider:
      1. the work counsel has done in identifying or investigating potential claims in the action;
      2. counsel's experience in handling class actions, other complex litigation, and the types of claims asserted in the action;
      3. counsel's knowledge of the applicable law; and
      4. the resources that counsel will commit to representing the class;
   2. may consider any other matter pertinent to counsel's ability to fairly and adequately represent the interests of the class;
   3. may order potential class counsel to provide information on any subject pertinent to the appointment and to propose terms for attorney's fees and nontaxable costs;
   4. may include in the appointing order provisions about the award of attorney's fees or nontaxable costs under Rule 23(h); and
   5. may make further orders in connection with the appointment.
2. Standard for Appointing Class Counsel. When one applicant seeks appointment as class counsel, the court may appoint that applicant only if the applicant is adequate under Rule 23(g)(1) and (4). If more than one adequate applicant seeks appointment, the court must appoint the applicant best able to represent the interests of the class.
3. Interim Counsel. The court may designate interim counsel to act on behalf of a putative class before determining whether to certify the action as a class action.
4. Duty of Class Counsel. Class counsel must fairly and adequately represent the interests of the class.

(h) Attorney's Fees and Nontaxable Costs. In a certified class action, the court may award reasonable attorney's fees and nontaxable costs that are authorized by law or by the parties’ agreement. The following procedures apply:

1. A claim for an award must be made by motion under Rule 54(d)(2), subject to the provisions of this subdivision (h), at a time the court sets. Notice of the motion must be served on all parties and, for motions by class counsel, directed to class members in a reasonable manner.
2. A class member, or a party from whom payment is sought, may object to the motion.
3. The court may hold a hearing and must find the facts and state its legal conclusions under Rule 52(a).
4. The court may refer issues related to the amount of the award to a special master or a magistrate judge, as provided in Rule 54(d)(2)(D).

(a) Required Disclosures.

1. Initial Disclosure.
   1. In General. Except as exempted by Rule 26(a)(1)(B) or as otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court, a party must, without awaiting a discovery request, provide to the other parties:
      1. the name and, if known, the address and telephone number of each individual likely to have discoverable information—along with the subjects of that information—that the disclosing party may use to support its claims or defenses, unless the use would be solely for impeachment;
      2. a copy—or a description by category and location—of all documents, electronically stored information, and tangible things that the disclosing party has in its possession, custody, or control and may use to support its claims or defenses, unless the use would be solely for impeachment;
      3. a computation of each category of damages claimed by the disclosing party—who must also make available for inspection and copying as under Rule 34 the documents or other evidentiary material, unless privileged or protected from disclosure, on which each computation is based, including materials bearing on the nature and extent of injuries suffered; and
      4. for inspection and copying as under Rule 34, any insurance agreement under which an insurance business may be liable to satisfy all or part of a possible judgment in the action or to indemnify or reimburse for payments made to satisfy the judgment.
         • Analysis of 26 a
           • Both parties will be required without awaiting any formal discovery requests to exchange information that they may use to support their claims or defenses including names addresses and telephone number of fact witnesses copes or descriptions of documents and materials underlying fact witnesses copies or descriptions of documents and materials underlying computations of damages.
   2. Proceedings Exempt from Initial Disclosure. The following proceedings are exempt from initial disclosure:
      1. an action for review on an administrative record;
      2. a forfeiture action in rem arising from a federal statute;
      3. a petition for habeas corpus or any other proceeding to challenge a criminal conviction or sentence;
      4. an action brought without an attorney by a person in the custody of the United States, a state, or a state subdivision;
      5. an action to enforce or quash an administrative summons or subpoena;
      6. an action by the United States to recover benefit payments;
      7. an action by the United States to collect on a student loan guaranteed by the United States;
      8. a proceeding ancillary to a proceeding in another court; and
      9. an action to enforce an arbitration award.
   3. Time for Initial Disclosures—In General. A party must make the initial disclosures at or within 14 days after the parties’ Rule 26(f) conference unless a different time is set by stipulation or court order, or unless a party objects during the conference that initial disclosures are not appropriate in this action and states the objection in the proposed discovery plan. In ruling on the objection, the court must determine what disclosures, if any, are to be made and must set the time for disclosure.
      • Analysis of 26a1c
        • states that a party “must make initial disclosure” within the time it provides unless one of the delays buttons is pressed below
          • Obtaining a stipulation from the other parties
          • Can object
            • The objections must be stated in the proposed discovery plan. When it is, the court will then rule on the objections and “must set the time for disclosure.
          • Move For a court order
   4. Time for Initial Disclosures—For Parties Served or Joined Later. A party that is first served or otherwise joined after the Rule 26(f) conference must make the initial disclosures within 30 days after being served or joined, unless a different time is set by stipulation or court order.
   5. Basis for Initial Disclosure; Unacceptable Excuses. A party must make its initial disclosures based on the information then reasonably available to it. A party is not excused from making its disclosures because it has not fully investigated the case or because it challenges the sufficiency of another party's disclosures or because another party has not made its disclosures.
2. Disclosure of Expert Testimony.
   1. In General. In addition to the disclosures required by Rule 26(a)(1), a party must disclose to the other parties the identity of any witness it may use at trial to present evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 702, 703, or 705.
   2. Witnesses Who Must Provide a Written Report. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court, this disclosure must be accompanied by a written report—prepared and signed by the witness—if the witness is one retained or specially employed to provide expert testimony in the case or one whose duties as the party's employee regularly involve giving expert testimony. The report must contain:
      1. a complete statement of all opinions the witness will express and the basis and reasons for them;
      2. the facts or data considered by the witness in forming them;
      3. any exhibits that will be used to summarize or support them;
      4. the witness's qualifications, including a list of all publications authored in the previous 10 years;
      5. a list of all other cases in which, during the previous 4 years, the witness testified as an expert at trial or by deposition; and
      6. a statement of the compensation to be paid for the study and testimony in the case.
   3. Witnesses Who Do Not Provide a Written Report. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court, if the witness is not required to provide a written report, this disclosure must state:
      1. the subject matter on which the witness is expected to present evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 702, 703, or 705; and
      2. a summary of the facts and opinions to which the witness is expected to testify.
   4. Time to Disclose Expert Testimony. A party must make these disclosures at the times and in the sequence that the court orders. Absent a stipulation or a court order, the disclosures must be made:
      1. at least 90 days before the date set for trial or for the case to be ready for trial; or
      2. if the evidence is intended solely to contradict or rebut evidence on the same subject matter identified by another party under Rule 26(a)(2)(B) or (C), within 30 days after the other party's disclosure.
   5. Supplementing the Disclosure. The parties must supplement these disclosures when required under Rule 26(e).
      • 26a2
        • Also requires timely disclosure of expert trial witness and their reports at least 90 days before trial
      • 26a3
        • Adds the requirement that at least thirty days before trial parties make mutual pretrial disclosures by exchanging lots of witnesses they expect to call and exhibits they intend to introduce at trial. These disclosure requirements were already widely imposed ad hoc by pretrial orders in many cases and they have been uncontroversial.