Oklahoma 2022 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB322 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

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3		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 1 1
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28		-	~~ENGROSSED~~ SENATE
29		-	~~BILL NO.~~ ~~322 By: Daniels of the Senate~~
	29	+	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
	30	+	February 23, 2021
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31		-	and
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33		-	Moore of the House
	33	+	SENATE BILL NO. 322 By: Daniels
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38	39		An Act relating to the Oklahoma Discovery Code;
39	40		amending 12 O.S. 2011, Section 3226, as last amended
40	41		by Section 3, Chapter 378, O.S.L. 2017 (12 O.S. Supp.
41	42		2020, Section 3226), which relates to discovery
42	43		methods; requiring inclusion of certain information
43	44		in initial disclosures; authorizing sanctions for
44	45		certain noncompliance; and providing an effective
45	46		date.
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50	51		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOM A:
51	52		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 12 O.S. 2011, Section 3226, as
52	53		last amended by Section 3, Chapter 378, O.S.L. 2017 ( 12 O.S. Supp.
53	54		2020, Section 3226), is amended to read as follows:
54	55		Section 3226. A. DISCOVERY METHODS; INITIAL DISCLOSUR ES.
55	56		1. DISCOVERY METHODS. Parties may obtain discovery regarding
56	57		any matter that is relevant to any party ’s claim or defense by one
57	58		or more of the following metho ds: Depositions upon oral examination
58	59		or written questions; written interrogatories; produc tion of
59	60		documents or things or permission to enter upon land or other
60	61		property, for inspection and other purposes; physical and mental
61	62		examinations; requests for ad mission; authorizations for release of
62	63		records; and otherwise by court order upon showing of good cause.
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89	91		Except as provided in this section or unless the court orders
90	92		otherwise under this section, the frequency of use of these methods
91	93		is not limited.
92	94		2. INITIAL DISCLOSURES.
93	95		a. Except in categories of proceedings specified in
94	96		subparagraph b of this paragraph, or to the extent
95	97		otherwise stipulated or directed by order, a party,
96	98		without awaiting a discovery request, shall provide to
97	99		other parties a computati on of any category of damages
98	100		claimed by the disclosing party, making available for
99	101		inspection and copying the documents or other
100	102		evidentiary material, not privileged or protec ted from
101	103		disclosure, on which such computation is based,
102	104		including materials bea ring on the nature and extent
103	105		of injuries suffered. Subject to subsection B of this
104	106		section, in any action in which physical or mental
105	107		injury is claimed, the party making the claim shall
106	108		provide to the other parties a release or
107	109		authorization allowing the parties to obtain relevant
108	110		medical records and bills, and, when relevant, a
109	111		release or authorization for employment and scholastic
110	112		records. Additionally, a party making a cla im for
111	113		physical or mental injury shall provide explanation of
112	114		benefits, payment logs or o ther written documentation
113	115
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139	142		of payments made on behalf of the party by an
140	143		insurance company or state or federal agency that
141	144		provides health care coverage toward medical bills
142	145		claimed as damages in the action.
143	146		b. The following categories of proceedings are e xempt
144	147		from initial disclosure under subparagraph a of this
145	148		paragraph:
146	149		(1) an action for review of an administrative record,
147	150		(2) a petition for habeas corpus or other proceeding
148	151		to challenge a criminal conviction or sentence,
149	152		(3) an action brought without c ounsel by a person in
150	153		custody of the United States, a state , or a state
151	154		subdivision,
152	155		(4) an action to enforce or quash an administrative
153	156		summons or subpoena,
154	157		(5) an action by the United States to recover benefit
155	158		payments,
156	159		(6) an action by the United States to collect on a
157	160		student loan guaranteed by the United States,
158	161		(7) a proceeding ancillary to proceedings in other
159	162		courts, and
160	163		(8) an action to enforce an arbitration award.
161	164		c. Disclosures required under this paragraph shall be
162	165		made at or within sixty (60) days after service unless
163	166
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189	193		a different time is set by stipulation or court order,
190	194		or unless a party objects that initial disclosures are
191	195		not appropriate in the circum stances of the action and
192	196		states the objection in a motion filed with the court.
193	197		In ruling on the objection, the court shall determine
194	198		what disclosures, if a ny, are to be made and set the
195	199		time for disclosure. A party shall make its initial
196	200		disclosures based on the information then readily
197	201		available to it and is not excused from making its
198	202		disclosures because it has not fully completed its
199	203		investigation of the case or because it challenges the
200	204		sufficiency of another party ’s disclosures or because
201	205		another party has not made its disclosures. Failure
202	206		to comply with the requirements set forth in this
203	207		paragraph shall subject the noncompliant party to
204	208		sanctions pursuant to Section 3237 of this title.
205	209		B. DISCOVERY SCOPE AND LIMITS. Unless otherwise limited by
206	210		order of the court in accordance with the Oklahoma Discovery C ode,
207	211		the scope of discovery is as follows:
208	212		1. IN GENERAL.
209	213		a. Parties may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not
210	214		privileged, which is relevant to any party ’s claim or
211	215		defense, reasonably calc ulated to lead to the
212	216		discovery of admissible evidence and pr oportional to
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239	244		the needs of the case, considering the importance of
240	245		the issues at stake in the action, the amount in
241	246		controversy, the parties’ relative access to relevant
242	247		information, the parties ’ resources, the importance of
243	248		the discovery in resolving the issues, and whether the
244	249		burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs
245	250		its likely benefit. Information wi thin this scope of
246	251		discovery need not be admissible in evidence to be
247	252		discoverable.
248	253		b. A party shall produce upon request pursuant to Section
249	254		3234 of this title, any insuran ce agreement under
250	255		which any person carrying on an insurance business may
251	256		be liable to satisfy part or all of a judgment which
252	257		may be entered in the action or to ind emnify or
253	258		reimburse for payments made to satisfy the judgment .
254	259		Information concerning the insurance agreement is not
255	260		by reason of disclosure admissible in evidence at
256	261		trial. For purposes of this section, an application
257	262		for insurance shall not be treated as a part of an
258	263		insurance agreement.
259	264		2. LIMITATIONS ON FREQU ENCY AND EXTENT.
260	265		a. By order, the court may alter the limits on the length
261	266		of depositions under Section 3230 of t his title, on
262	267		the number of interrogatories under Section 3233 of
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289	295		this title, on the number of requests to produce under
290	296		Section 3234 of this t itle, or on the number of
291	297		requests for admission under Section 3236 of this
292	298		title.
293	299		b. A party is not required to provide discovery of
294	300		electronically stored information from sources that
295	301		the party identifies as not reasonably accessible
296	302		because of undue bur den or cost. On motion to com pel
297	303		discovery or for a protective order, the party from
298	304		whom discovery is sought mu st show that the
299	305		information is not reasonably accessible because of
300	306		undue burden or cost. If that showing is made, the
301	307		court may order discov ery from such sources if the
302	308		requesting party shows good cause, considering the
303	309		limitations of subparagraph c of this paragraph. The
304	310		court may specify conditions for the discovery.
305	311		c. On motion or on its own, the court shall limit the
306	312		frequency or extent of discovery otherwise allowed if
307	313		it determines that:
308	314		(1) the discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative
309	315		or duplicative, or can be obtained from some
310	316		other source that is more convenient, less
311	317		burdensome, or less expensive,
312	318
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338	345		(2) the party seeking discovery has had ample
339	346		opportunity to obtain the information by
340	347		discovery in the action, or
341	348		(3) the proposed discovery is outside the scope
342	349		permitted by subparagraph a of paragraph 1 of
343	350		this subsection.
344	351		d. If an officer, director or managing agent of a
345	352		corporation or a government official is s erved with
346	353		notice of a deposition or subpoena regarding a matter
347	354		about which he or she has no knowledge, he or she may
348	355		submit at a reasonable time prior to the date of the
349	356		deposition an affidavit to the noticing party so
350	357		stating and identifying a person wi thin the
351	358		corporation or government entity who has knowledge of
352	359		the subject matter i nvolved in the pending action.
353	360		Notwithstanding such affidavit, the noticing party may
354	361		proceed with the deposition, subject to the noticed
355	362		witness’s right to seek a protecti ve order.
356	363		3. TRIAL PREPARATION: MATERIALS.
357	364		a. Unless as provided by paragraph 4 o f this subsection,
358	365		a party may not discover documents and tangible things
359	366		that are prepared in anticipation of litigation or for
360	367		trial by or for another party or its represe ntative,
361	368		including the other party ’s attorney, consultant,
362	369
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388	396		surety, indemnitor, insu rer or agent. Subject to
389	397		paragraph 4 of this subsection, such materials may be
390	398		discovered if:
391	399		(1) they are otherwise discoverable under paragr aph 1
392	400		of this subsection, and
393	401		(2) the party shows that it has substantial need for
394	402		the materials to prepare its c ase and cannot,
395	403		without undue hardship, obtain their substantial
396	404		equivalent by other means.
397	405		b. If the court orders discovery of such materials, the
398	406		court shall protect again st disclosure of the mental
399	407		impressions, conclusions, opinions or legal theories
400	408		of a party’s attorney or other representative
401	409		concerning the litigation.
402	410		c. A party or other person may, upon request and without
403	411		the required showing, obtain the person ’s own previous
404	412		statement about the action or its subject matter. If
405	413		the request is refused, the person may move for a
406	414		court order, and the provisions of paragraph 4 of
407	415		subsection A of Section 3237 of this title apply to
408	416		the award of expenses. A previous state ment is
409	417		either:
410	418		(1) a written statement that the person has signed or
411	419		otherwise adopted or approved, or
412	420
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438	447		(2) a contemporaneous stenographic, mechanical,
439	448		electrical, or other recording, or a
440	449		transcription thereof, which recites
441	450		substantially verbatim the per son’s oral
442	451		statement.
443	452		4. TRIAL PREPARATION: EXPERTS.
444	453		a. Discovery of facts known and opinions held by experts,
445	454		otherwise discoverable under the provisions of
446	455		paragraph 1 of this subsection and acquired or
447	456		developed in anticipation of litigation or for tr ial,
448	457		may be obtained only as follows:
449	458		(1) a party may, through interrogatories, req uire any
450	459		other party to identify each person whom that
451	460		other party expects to call as an expert witness
452	461		at trial and give the address at which that
453	462		expert witness may be loc ated,
454	463		(2) after disclosure of the names and addresses of
455	464		the expert witnesses, the other party expects to
456	465		call as witnesses, the party, who has requested
457	466		disclosure, may depose any such expert witnesses
458	467		subject to scope of thi s section. Prior to
459	468		taking the deposition the party must give notice
460	469		as required in subsections A and C of Secti on
461	470		3230 of this title, and
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488	498		(3) in addition to taking the depositions of expert
489	499		witnesses the party may, through interrogatories,
490	500		require the party who expects to call the ex pert
491	501		witnesses to state the subject matter on which
492	502		each expert witness is expected to testify; the
493	503		substance of the facts and opinions to which the
494	504		expert is expected to testify and a summary of
495	505		the grounds for each opinion; the qualifications
496	506		of each expert witness, including a list of all
497	507		publications authored by the expert witness
498	508		within the preceding ten (10) years; the
499	509		compensation to be paid to the expert witne ss for
500	510		the testimony and preparation for the testimony;
501	511		and a listing of any other cases in which the
502	512		expert witness has testified as an expert at
503	513		trial or by deposition with in the preceding four
504	514		(4) years. An interrogatory seeking the
505	515		information specified above shall be treated as a
506	516		single interrogatory for purpo ses of the
507	517		limitation on the number of interrogatories in
508	518		Section 3233 of this title.
509	519		b. The protection provided by paragraph 3 of this
510	520		subsection extends to communications between the
511	521		party’s attorney and any expert witness retained or
512	522
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538	549		specially employed to provide expert testimony in the
539	550		case or whose duties as the party ’s employee regularly
540	551		involve giving expert t estimony, except to the extent
541	552		that the communications:
542	553		(1) relate to compensation for the expert’s study or
543	554		testimony,
544	555		(2) identify facts or data that the party’s attorney
545	556		provided and that the expert considered in
546	557		forming the opinions to be expressed, or
547	558		(3) identify assumptions that the party ’s attorney
548	559		provided and that the expert r elied upon in
549	560		forming the opinions to be expressed.
550	561		c. A party may not, by interrogatories or deposition,
551	562		discover facts known or opinions held by an expert who
552	563		has been retained or specially employed by another
553	564		party in anticipation of litigation or to pr epare for
554	565		trial and who is not expected to be called as a
555	566		witness at trial, except as provi ded in Section 3235
556	567		of this title or upon a showing of exceptional
557	568		circumstances under which it is impracticable for the
558	569		party to obtain facts or opinions on the sam e subject
559	570		by other means.
560	571		d. Unless manifest injustice would result:
561	572
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587	599		(1) the court shall require that the party seeking
588	600		discovery pay the expert a reasonable fee for
589	601		time spent in responding to discovery under
590	602		division (2) of subparagraph a of this paragra ph
591	603		and subparagraph c of this paragraph, and
592	604		(2) the court shall require that the party see king
593	605		discovery with respect to discovery obtained
594	606		under subparagraph c of this para graph, pay the
595	607		other party a fair portion of the fees and
596	608		expenses reasonably incu rred by the latter party
597	609		in obtaining facts and opinions from the expert.
598	610		5. CLAIMS OF PRIVILEGE OR PROTECTION OF TRIAL PREPARATION
599	611		MATERIALS.
600	612		a. When a party withholds info rmation otherwise
601	613		discoverable under the Oklahoma Discovery Code by
602	614		claiming that it is privileged or subject to
603	615		protection as trial preparatio n material, the party
604	616		shall make the claim expressly and shall describe the
605	617		nature of the documents, communicatio ns, or things not
606	618		produced or disclosed in a manner that, without
607	619		revealing information itself privileged or protected,
608	620		will enable other parti es to assess the applicability
609	621		of the privilege or protection.
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619	632		9
620	633		10
621	634		11
622	635		12
623	636		13
624	637		14
625	638		15
626	639		16
627	640		17
628	641		18
629	642		19
630	643		20
631	644		21
632	645		22
633	646		23
634	647		24
635	648
636	649		b. If information produced in discovery is subject to a
637	650		claim of privilege or of protection as trial
638	651		preparation material, the party making the claim may
639	652		notify any party that received the info rmation of the
640	653		claim and the basis for it. After being notified, a
641	654		party shall promptly return, sequester , or destroy the
642	655		specified information and any copies the party has;
643	656		shall not use or dis close the information until the
644	657		claim is resolved; shall take reasonable steps to
645	658		retrieve the information if the party has disclosed it
646	659		before being notified; and may prompt ly present the
647	660		information to the court under seal for a
648	661		determination of the clai m. The producing party shall
649	662		preserve the information until the claim is resolved.
650	663		This mechanism is procedural only and does not alter
651	664		the standards governing whether the information is
652	665		privileged or subject to protection as trial
653	666		preparation material o r whether such privilege or
654	667		protection has been waived.
655	668		C. PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
656	669		1. Upon motion by a party or by the person from whom discovery
657	670		is sought, accompanied by a cer tification that the movant has in
658	671		good faith conferred or attempted to confer, eit her in person or by
659	672		telephone, with other affected parties in an effort to resolve the
660	673
661		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 14 1
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	675	+	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
662	676		2
663	677		3
664	678		4
665	679		5
666	680		6
667	681		7
668	682		8
669	683		9
670	684		10
671	685		11
672	686		12
673	687		13
674	688		14
675	689		15
676	690		16
677	691		17
678	692		18
679	693		19
680	694		20
681	695		21
682	696		22
683	697		23
684	698		24
685	699
686	700		dispute without court action, and for good cause shown, the court in
687	701		which the action is pending or on matters relating to a deposition,
688	702		the district court in the county where the deposition is to be taken
689	703		may enter any order whic h justice requires to protect a party or
690	704		person from annoyance, harassment, embarrassment, oppression or
691	705		undue delay, burden or expense, including one or more of the
692	706		following:
693	707		a. that the discovery not be had,
694	708		b. that the discovery may be had only on spec ified terms
695	709		and conditions, including a designation of the time,
696	710		place or the allocation of expenses,
697	711		c. that the discovery may be had only by a method of
698	712		discovery other than that selected by th e party
699	713		seeking discovery,
700	714		d. that certain matters not be inq uired into, or that the
701	715		scope of the disclosure or discovery be limited to
702	716		certain matters,
703	717		e. that discovery be conducted with no one present except
704	718		persons designated by the court,
705	719		f. that a deposition after being sealed be opened only by
706	720		order of the court,
707	721		g. that a trade secret or other confidential research,
708	722		development or commercial information not be disclose d
709	723		or be disclosed only in a designated way, and
710	724
711		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 15 1
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	726	+	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
712	727		2
713	728		3
714	729		4
715	730		5
716	731		6
717	732		7
718	733		8
719	734		9
720	735		10
721	736		11
722	737		12
723	738		13
724	739		14
725	740		15
726	741		16
727	742		17
728	743		18
729	744		19
730	745		20
731	746		21
732	747		22
733	748		23
734	749		24
735	750
736	751		h. that the parties simultaneously file specified
737	752		documents or information enclosed in sealed e nvelopes
738	753		to be opened as direc ted by the court.
739	754		2. If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or
740	755		in part, the court may, on such terms and conditions as are just,
741	756		order that any party or person provide or permit discovery. The
742	757		provisions of paragraph 4 of subsection A of Section 3237 of this
743	758		title apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the
744	759		motion. Any protective order of the court which has the effect of
745	760		removing any material obtained by discovery from the public record
746	761		shall contain the following:
747	762		a. a statement that the court has determined it is
748	763		necessary in the interests of justice to remove the
749	764		material from the public record,
750	765		b. specific identification of the m aterial which is to be
751	766		removed or withdrawn from the public r ecord, or which
752	767		is to be filed but not placed in the public record,
753	768		and
754	769		c. a requirement that any party obtaining a protective
755	770		order place the protected material in a sealed manila
756	771		envelope clearly marked with the caption and case
757	772		number and is clearly mar ked with the word
758	773		“CONFIDENTIAL”, and stating the date the order was
759	774		entered and the name of the judge entering t he order.
760	775
761		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 16 1
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762	778		2
763	779		3
764	780		4
765	781		5
766	782		6
767	783		7
768	784		8
769	785		9
770	786		10
771	787		11
772	788		12
773	789		13
774	790		14
775	791		15
776	792		16
777	793		17
778	794		18
779	795		19
780	796		20
781	797		21
782	798		22
783	799		23
784	800		24
785	801
786	802		This requirement may also be satisfied by requiring
787	803		the party to file th e documents pursuant to the
788	804		procedure for electronically fili ng sealed or
789	805		confidential documents approved for electronic filing
790	806		in the courts of this state.
791	807		3. No protective order entered after the filing and
792	808		microfilming of documents of any kind shall be construed to require
793	809		the microfilm record of such filing to be amended in any fashion.
794	810		4. The party or counsel which has received the protective order
795	811		shall be responsible for promptly presenting the order to
796	812		appropriate court clerk personnel for appropr iate action.
797	813		5. All documents produced or testimony given un der a protective
798	814		order shall be retained in the office of counsel until required by
799	815		the court to be filed in the case.
800	816		6. Counsel for the respective parties shall be responsible for
801	817		informing witnesses, as necessary, of the contents of the protective
802	818		order.
803	819		7. When a case is filed in which a party intends to seek a
804	820		protective order removing material from the public record, the
805	821		plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) shall be initially designated on the
806	822		petition under pseudonym such as “John or Jane Doe”, or “Roe”, and
807	823		the petition shall clearly indicate that the party designations are
808	824		fictitious. The party seeking confidenti ality or other order
809	825		removing the case, in whole or in part, from the public recor d,
810	826
811		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 17 1
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812	829		2
813	830		3
814	831		4
815	832		5
816	833		6
817	834		7
818	835		8
819	836		9
820	837		10
821	838		11
822	839		12
823	840		13
824	841		14
825	842		15
826	843		16
827	844		17
828	845		18
829	846		19
830	847		20
831	848		21
832	849		22
833	850		23
834	851		24
835	852
836	853		shall immediately present application to the court, seekin g
837	854		instructions for the conduct of the case, including confidentiality
838	855		of the records.
839	856		D. SEQUENCE AND TIMING OF DISCOVERY. Unless the parties
840	857		stipulate or the court orders otherwise for the con venience of
841	858		parties and witnesses and in the interests of jus tice, methods of
842	859		discovery may be used in any sequence. The fact that a party is
843	860		conducting discovery, whether b y deposition or otherwise, shall not
844	861		operate to delay discovery by any other party .
845	862		E. SUPPLEMENTATION OF RESPONSES. A party who has responde d to
846	863		a request for discovery w ith a response that was complete when it
847	864		was made is under no duty to supplement th e response to include
848	865		information thereafter acquired, except as follows:
849	866		1. A party is under a duty seasonably to supplement the
850	867		response with respect to any question dire ctly addressed to:
851	868		a. the identity and location of persons having knowledge
852	869		of discoverable matters, and
853	870		b. the identity of each person expected to be called as
854	871		an expert witness at trial, the subject matter on
855	872		which the person is expected to testify, and the
856	873		substance of the testimony of the person;
857	874		2. A party is under a duty seasonabl y to amend a prior response
858	875		to an interrogatory, request for production, or reques t for
859	876		admission if the party obtains information upon the bas is of which:
860	877
861		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 18 1
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862	880		2
863	881		3
864	882		4
865	883		5
866	884		6
867	885		7
868	886		8
869	887		9
870	888		10
871	889		11
872	890		12
873	891		13
874	892		14
875	893		15
876	894		16
877	895		17
878	896		18
879	897		19
880	898		20
881	899		21
882	900		22
883	901		23
884	902		24
885	903
886	904		a. (1) the party knows that the response was incorrect
887	905		in some material respect when made, or
888	906		(2) the party knows that the response, which was
889	907		correct when made, is no longer true in some
890	908		material respect, and
891	909		b. the additional or corrective i nformation has not
892	910		otherwise been made known to the other parties during
893	911		the discovery process or in writing; and
894	912		3. A duty to supplement responses may be imposed by order of
895	913		the court, agreement of the parties, or at any time prior to trial
896	914		through new requests for supplementation of prior responses.
897	915		F. DISCOVERY CONFERENCE. At any time after commencement of an
898	916		action, the court may direct the attorneys for the parties to appear
899	917		for a conference on the subject of discovery. The court shall do so
900	918		upon motion by the attorney for any party if the motion includes:
901	919		1. A statement of the issues as they then appear;
902	920		2. A proposed plan and schedule of discovery;
903	921		3. Any limitations proposed to be pl aced on discovery;
904	922		4. Any other proposed orders with respect to discovery; and
905	923		5. A statement showing that the attorney making the motion has
906	924		made a reasonable effort to re ach agreement with opposing attorneys
907	925		on the matters set forth in the motion.
908	926		Each party and his attorney are under a duty to participate in
909	927		good faith in the framing of a d iscovery plan if a plan is proposed
910	928
911		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 19 1
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912	931		2
913	932		3
914	933		4
915	934		5
916	935		6
917	936		7
918	937		8
919	938		9
920	939		10
921	940		11
922	941		12
923	942		13
924	943		14
925	944		15
926	945		16
927	946		17
928	947		18
929	948		19
930	949		20
931	950		21
932	951		22
933	952		23
934	953		24
935	954
936	955		by the attorney for any party. Notice of the m otion shall be served
937	956		on all parties. Objections or additions to matters set fort h in the
938	957		motion shall be served not later than ten (10) days after service of
939	958		the motion.
940	959		Following the discovery conference, the court shall enter an
941	960		order tentatively ident ifying the issues for discovery purposes,
942	961		establishing a plan and schedule for dis covery, setting limitations
943	962		on discovery, if any; and determi ning such other matters, inclu ding
944	963		the allocation of expenses, as are necessary for the proper
945	964		management of discovery in the action. In preparing the plan for
946	965		discovery the court shall protect the parties from excessive or
947	966		abusive use of discovery. An o rder shall be altered or amend ed
948	967		whenever justice so requires.
949	968		Subject to the right of a party who properly moves for a
950	969		discovery conference to prompt convening of the conference, the
951	970		court may combine the discovery conference with a pretrial
952	971		conference.
953	972		G. SIGNING OF DISCOVERY REQUES TS, RESPONSES AND OBJECTIONS.
954	973		Every request for discovery, response or objection t hereto made by a
955	974		party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one of
956	975		the party’s attorneys of record in the party ’s individual name whose
957	976		address shall be stated. A party who is not represented by an
958	977		attorney shall sign the request, respon se or objection and state the
959	978		party’s address. The signature of the attorney or p arty constitutes
960	979
961		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 322 Page 20 1
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962	982		2
963	983		3
964	984		4
965	985		5
966	986		6
967	987		7
968	988		8
969	989		9
970	990		10
971	991		11
972	992		12
973	993		13
974	994		14
975	995		15
976	996		16
977	997		17
978	998		18
979	999		19
980	1000		20
981	1001		21
982	1002		22
983	1003		23
984	1004		24
985	1005
986	1006		a certification that the party has read the request, response or
987	1007		objection, and that it is:
988	1008		1. To the best of the party ’s knowledge, information and belief
989	1009		formed after a reasonable inquiry consistent with the Oklahoma
990	1010		Discovery Code and warranted by existing law or a good faith
991	1011		argument for the extension, modification or rever sal of existing
992	1012		law;
993	1013		2. Interposed in good faith and not primarily to cause delay or
994	1014		for any other improper purpose; and
995	1015		3. Not unreasonable or unduly burdensome o r expensive, given
996	1016		the nature and complexity of the case, the discovery already had in
997	1017		the case, the amount in controversy, and other values at stake in
998	1018		the litigation. If a request, response or objection is not signed,
999	1019		it shall be deemed ineffective.
1000	1020		If a certification is made in violation of the provisions of
1001	1021		this subsection, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative,
1002	1022		shall impose upon the person who made the certif ication, the party
1003	1023		on whose behalf the request, response or objection is made, or both,
1004	1024		an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay to the
1005	1025		amount of the reasonable expenses occasioned thereby, including a
1006	1026		reasonable attorney fee.
1007	1027		SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
1008		-
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1010		-	2
1011		-	3
1012		-	4
1013		-	5
1014		-	6
1015		-	7
1016		-	8
1017		-	9
1018		-	10
1019		-	11
1020		-	12
1021		-	13
1022		-	14
1023		-	15
1024		-	16
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1028		-	20
1029		-	21
1030		-	22
1031		-	23
1032		-	24
1033		-
1034		-	Passed the Senate the 8th day of March, 2021.
1035		-
1036		-
1037		-
1038		-	Presiding Officer of the Senate
1039		-
1040		-
1041		-	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
1042		-	2021.
1043		-
1044		-
1045		-
1046		-	Presiding Officer of the House
1047		-	of Representatives
1048		-
	1028	+	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
	1029	+	February 23, 2021 - DO PASS