Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB625 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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3		-	ENGR. S. B. NO. 625 Page 1 1
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28		-	~~ENGROSSED~~ SENATE
29		-	~~BILL NO.~~ ~~625 By: Howard of the Senate~~
	29	+	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
	30	+	February 11, 2025
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31		-	and
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33		-	Harris of the House
	33	+	SENATE BILL NO. 625 By: Howard
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38	39		An Act relating to the Oklahoma Discovery Code;
39	40		amending 12 O.S. 2021, Section 3226, which relates to
40	41		general provisions governing discovery; requiring
41	42		production of commercial li tigation funding agreement
42	43		upon request; prohibiting admissibility of certain
43	44		information as evidence; requiring certain
44	45		certification with production of agreement; providing
45	46		exception; defining terms; providing for
46	47		codification; and providing an effective date.
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52	53		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
53	54		SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 12 O.S. 2021, Section 3226, is
54	55		amended to read as follows:
55	56		Section 3226. A. DISCOVERY METHODS; INITIAL DISCLOSURES.
56	57		1. DISCOVERY METHODS. Parties may obtain discovery regarding
57	58		any matter that is relevant to any party ’s claim or defense by one
58	59		or more of the following methods: Depositions upon oral examination
59	60		or written questions; written interrogatories; production of
60	61		documents or things or permission to enter upon land or other
61	62		property, for inspection and other purposes; physical and mental
62	63		examinations; requests for admission; authorizations for release of
63	64		records; and otherwise by court order upon showing of good cause.
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90	92		Except as provided in this section or unless the court orders
91	93		otherwise under this section, the frequency of use of these methods
92	94		is not limited.
93	95		2. INITIAL DISCLOSURES.
94	96		a. Except in categories of proceedings specified in
95	97		subparagraph b of this paragraph, or to the ext ent
96	98		otherwise stipulated or directed by order, a party,
97	99		without awaiting a discovery request, shall provide to
98	100		other parties a computation of any category of damages
99	101		claimed by the disclosing party, making available for
100	102		inspection and copying the documents or other
101	103		evidentiary material, not privileged or protected from
102	104		disclosure, on which such computation is based,
103	105		including materials bearing on the nature and extent
104	106		of injuries suffered. Subject to subsection B of this
105	107		section, in any action in which phy sical or mental
106	108		injury is claimed, the party making the claim shall
107	109		provide to the other parties a release or
108	110		authorization allowing the parties to obtain relevant
109	111		medical records and bills, and, when relevant, a
110	112		release or authorization for employment and scholastic
111	113		records.
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138	141		b. The following categories of proceedings are exempt
139	142		from initial disclosure under subparagraph a of this
140	143		paragraph:
141	144		(1) an action for review of an administrative record,
142	145		(2) a petition for habeas corpus or other proceeding
143	146		to challenge a criminal conviction or sentence,
144	147		(3) an action brought without counsel by a person in
145	148		custody of the United States, a state, or a state
146	149		subdivision,
147	150		(4) an action to enforce or quash an administrative
148	151		summons or subpoena,
149	152		(5) an action by the United S tates to recover benefit
150	153		payments,
151	154		(6) an action by the United States to collect on a
152	155		student loan guaranteed by the United States,
153	156		(7) a proceeding ancillary to proceedings in other
154	157		courts, and
155	158		(8) an action to enforce an arbitration award.
156	159		c. Disclosures required under this paragraph shall be
157	160		made at or within sixty (60) days after service unless
158	161		a different time is set by stipulation or court order,
159	162		or unless a party objects that initial disclosures are
160	163		not appropriate in the circumstances of the action and
161	164		states the objection in a motion filed with the court.
162	165
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188	192		In ruling on the objection, the court shall determine
189	193		what disclosures, if any, are to be made and set the
190	194		time for disclosure. A party shall make its initial
191	195		disclosures based on the information then readily
192	196		available to it and is not excused from making its
193	197		disclosures because it has not fully completed its
194	198		investigation of the case or because it challenges the
195	199		sufficiency of another party ’s disclosures or because
196	200		another party has not made its disclosures.
197	201		B. DISCOVERY SCOPE AND LIMITS. Unless otherwise limited by
198	202		order of the court in accordance with the Oklahoma Discovery Code,
199	203		the scope of discovery is as follows:
200	204		1. IN GENERAL.
201	205		a. Parties may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not
202	206		privileged, which is relevant to any party ’s claim or
203	207		defense, reasonably calculated to lead to the
204	208		discovery of admissible evidence and proportional to
205	209		the needs of the case, considering the importance of
206	210		the issues at stake in the action, the amount in
207	211		controversy, the parties ’ relative access to relevant
208	212		information, the parties ’ resources, the importance of
209	213		the discovery in resolving the issues, and whether the
210	214		burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs
211	215		its likely benefit. Information within th is scope of
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238	243		discovery need not be admissible in evidence to be
239	244		discoverable.
240	245		b. A party shall produce upon request pursuant to Section
241	246		3234 of this title, any insurance agreement under
242	247		which any person carrying on an insurance business may
243	248		be liable to satisfy part or all of a judgment which
244	249		may be entered in the action or to indemnify or
245	250		reimburse for payments made to satisfy the judgment.
246	251		Information concerning the insurance agreement is not
247	252		by reason of disclosure admissible in evidence at
248	253		trial. For purposes of this section, an application
249	254		for insurance shall not be treated as a part of an
250	255		insurance agreement.
251	256		c. A party shall produce upon request, pursuant to
252	257		Section 3234 of this title, any commercial litigation
253	258		funding agreement as defined in Section 2 of this act.
254	259		Information related to the commercial litigation
255	260		funding agreement is not by reason of disclosure
256	261		admissible as evidence at trial. Production of a
257	262		commercial litigation funding agreement shall include
258	263		a certification by sworn affidavit by the producing
259	264		party as to whether any funds encumbered by the terms
260	265		of the agreement have been or will be sourced from a
261	266		foreign state or agency or instrumentality of a
262	267
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288	294		foreign state as defined in 28 U.S.C., Section 1603 ,
289	295		as amended. Certification that d iscloses that a
290	296		foreign state or agency or instrumentality of a
291	297		foreign state is such a source shall include the
292	298		identity of the foreign state, agency, or
293	299		instrumentality that is the source of the funds. Such
294	300		certification shall be supplemented or correct ed by
295	301		the producing party within thirty (30) days in the
296	302		event the certification becomes incomplete or
297	303		inaccurate in a material respect. A consumer
298	304		litigation funding agreement as defined in Section 3 -
299	305		801 of Title 14A of the Oklahoma Statutes shall be
300	306		exempt from the provisions of this subparagraph.
301	307		d. If a commercial litigation funding agreement as
302	308		defined in Section 2 of this act , has been requested,
303	309		a party shall also produce, upon request pursuant to
304	310		Sections 3234 and 3236 of this title, a certificatio n
305	311		by sworn affidavit by the producing party that
306	312		identifies whether the party is an entity controlled
307	313		by a foreign adversary. The certification shall also
308	314		include an admission or denial as to whether the party
309	315		is under the control or direction of an entit y
310	316		controlled by a foreign adversary and whether the
311	317		party will allow access to any documents or
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338	345		information arising in the litigation not generally
339	346		available to the public to an entity controlled by a
340	347		foreign adversary. In the event that the producing
341	348		party admits that an entity controlled by a foreign
342	349		adversary may access any documents or information
343	350		arising in the litigation not generally available to
344	351		the public, the party shall specify the persons who
345	352		will have access to such documents or information.
346	353		Further, if the party receives funding pursuant to a
347	354		commercial litigation funding agreement as defined in
348	355		Section 2 of this act, the certification shall include
349	356		a statement that the funding was not sourced from an
350	357		entity controlled by a foreign adversary.
351	358		2. LIMITATIONS ON FREQUENCY AND EXTENT.
352	359		a. By order, the court may alter the limits on the length
353	360		of depositions under Section 3230 of this title, on
354	361		the number of interrogatories under Section 3233 of
355	362		this title, on the number of requests to produce und er
356	363		Section 3234 of this title, or on the number of
357	364		requests for admission under Section 3236 of this
358	365		title.
359	366		b. A party is not required to provide discovery of
360	367		electronically stored information from sources that
361	368		the party identifies as not reasonably access ible
362	369
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388	396		because of undue burden or cost. On motion to compel
389	397		discovery or for a protective order, the party from
390	398		whom discovery is sought must show that the
391	399		information is not reasonably accessible because of
392	400		undue burden or cost. If that showing is made, t he
393	401		court may order discovery from such sources if the
394	402		requesting party shows good cause, considering the
395	403		limitations of subparagraph c of this paragraph. The
396	404		court may specify conditions for the discovery.
397	405		c. On motion or on its own, the court shall limit the
398	406		frequency or extent of discovery otherwise allowed if
399	407		it determines that:
400	408		(1) the discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative
401	409		or duplicative, or can be obtained from some
402	410		other source that is more convenient, less
403	411		burdensome, or less expensive,
404	412		(2) the party seeking discovery has had ample
405	413		opportunity to obtain the information by
406	414		discovery in the action, or
407	415		(3) the proposed discovery is outside the scope
408	416		permitted by subparagraph a of paragraph 1 of
409	417		this subsection.
410	418		d. If an officer, director or managi ng agent of a
411	419		corporation or a government official is served with
412	420
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438	447		notice of a deposition or subpoena regarding a matter
439	448		about which he or she has no knowledge, he or she may
440	449		submit at a reasonable time prior to the date of the
441	450		deposition an affidavit to th e noticing party so
442	451		stating and identifying a person within the
443	452		corporation or government entity who has knowledge of
444	453		the subject matter involved in the pending action.
445	454		Notwithstanding such affidavit, the noticing party may
446	455		proceed with the deposition, su bject to the noticed
447	456		witness’s right to seek a protective order.
448	457		3. TRIAL PREPARATION: MATERIALS.
449	458		a. Unless as provided by paragraph 4 of this subsection,
450	459		a party may not discover documents and tangible things
451	460		that are prepared in anticipation of litigat ion or for
452	461		trial by or for another party or its representative,
453	462		including the other party ’s attorney, consultant,
454	463		surety, indemnitor, insurer or agent. Subject to
455	464		paragraph 4 of this subsection, such materials may be
456	465		discovered if:
457	466		(1) they are otherwise discoverable under paragraph 1
458	467		of this subsection, and
459	468		(2) the party shows that it has substantial need for
460	469		the materials to prepare its case and cannot,
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487	497		without undue hardship, obtain their substantial
488	498		equivalent by other means.
489	499		b. If the court orders dis covery of such materials, the
490	500		court shall protect against disclosure of the mental
491	501		impressions, conclusions, opinions or legal theories
492	502		of a party’s attorney or other representative
493	503		concerning the litigation.
494	504		c. A party or other person may, upon request an d without
495	505		the required showing, obtain the person ’s own previous
496	506		statement about the action or its subject matter. If
497	507		the request is refused, the person may move for a
498	508		court order, and the provisions of paragraph 4 of
499	509		subsection A of Section 3237 of this title apply to
500	510		the award of expenses. A previous statement is
501	511		either:
502	512		(1) a written statement that the person has signed or
503	513		otherwise adopted or approved, or
504	514		(2) a contemporaneous stenographic, mechanical,
505	515		electrical, or other recording, or a
506	516		transcription thereof, which recites
507	517		substantially verbatim the person ’s oral
508	518		statement.
509	519		4. TRIAL PREPARATION: EXPERTS.
510	520
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536	547		a. Discovery of facts known and opinions held by experts,
537	548		otherwise discoverable under the provisions of
538	549		paragraph 1 of this subsection and acquir ed or
539	550		developed in anticipation of litigation or for trial,
540	551		may be obtained only as follows:
541	552		(1) a party may, through interrogatories, require any
542	553		other party to identify each person whom that
543	554		other party expects to call as an expert witness
544	555		at trial and give the address at which that
545	556		expert witness may be located,
546	557		(2) after disclosure of the names and addresses of
547	558		the expert witnesses, the other party expects to
548	559		call as witnesses, the party, who has requested
549	560		disclosure, may depose any such expert witnesse s
550	561		subject to scope of this section. Prior to
551	562		taking the deposition the party must give notice
552	563		as required in subsections A and C of Section
553	564		3230 of this title, and
554	565		(3) in addition to taking the depositions of expert
555	566		witnesses the party may, through interr ogatories,
556	567		require the party who expects to call the expert
557	568		witnesses to state the subject matter on which
558	569		each expert witness is expected to testify; the
559	570		substance of the facts and opinions to which the
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586	598		expert is expected to testify and a summary of
587	599		the grounds for each opinion; the qualifications
588	600		of each expert witness, including a list of all
589	601		publications authored by the expert witness
590	602		within the preceding ten (10) years; the
591	603		compensation to be paid to the expert witness for
592	604		the testimony and preparation for the testimony;
593	605		and a listing of any other cases in which the
594	606		expert witness has testified as an expert at
595	607		trial or by deposition within the preceding four
596	608		(4) years. An interrogatory seeking the
597	609		information specified above shall be treated as a
598	610		single interrogatory for purposes of the
599	611		limitation on the number of interrogatories in
600	612		Section 3233 of this title.
601	613		b. The protection provided by paragraph 3 of this
602	614		subsection extends to communications between the
603	615		party’s attorney and any expert witness retain ed or
604	616		specially employed to provide expert testimony in the
605	617		case or whose duties as the party ’s employee regularly
606	618		involve giving expert testimony, except to the extent
607	619		that the communications:
608	620		(1) relate to compensation for the expert ’s study or
609	621		testimony,
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632	645		22
633	646		23
634	647		24
635	648
636	649		(2) identify facts or data that the party ’s attorney
637	650		provided and that the expert considered in
638	651		forming the opinions to be expressed, or
639	652		(3) identify assumptions that the party ’s attorney
640	653		provided and that the expert relied upon in
641	654		forming the opinions t o be expressed.
642	655		c. A party may not, by interrogatories or deposition,
643	656		discover facts known or opinions held by an expert who
644	657		has been retained or specially employed by another
645	658		party in anticipation of litigation or to prepare for
646	659		trial and who is not expec ted to be called as a
647	660		witness at trial, except as provided in Section 3235
648	661		of this title or upon a showing of exceptional
649	662		circumstances under which it is impracticable for the
650	663		party to obtain facts or opinions on the same subject
651	664		by other means.
652	665		d. Unless manifest injustice would result:
653	666		(1) the court shall require that the party seeking
654	667		discovery pay the expert a reasonable fee for
655	668		time spent in responding to discovery under
656	669		division (2) of subparagraph a of this paragraph
657	670		and subparagraph c of this paragr aph, and
658	671		(2) the court shall require that the party seeking
659	672		discovery with respect to discovery obtained
660	673
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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		under subparagraph c of this paragraph, pay the
687	701		other party a fair portion of the fees and
688	702		expenses reasonably incurred by the latter party
689	703		in obtaining facts and opinions from the expert.
690	704		5. CLAIMS OF PRIVILEGE OR PROTECTION OF TRIAL PREPARATION
691	705		MATERIALS.
692	706		a. When a party withholds information otherwise
693	707		discoverable under the Oklahoma Discovery Code by
694	708		claiming that it is privileged or subject to
695	709		protection as trial preparation material, the party
696	710		shall make the claim expressly and shall describe the
697	711		nature of the documents, communications, or things not
698	712		produced or disclosed in a manner that, without
699	713		revealing information itself privileged or protected ,
700	714		will enable other parties to assess the applicability
701	715		of the privilege or protection.
702	716		b. If information produced in discovery is subject to a
703	717		claim of privilege or of protection as trial
704	718		preparation material, the party making the claim may
705	719		notify any party that received the information of the
706	720		claim and the basis for it. After being notified, a
707	721		party shall promptly return, sequester, or destroy the
708	722		specified information and any copies the party has;
709	723		shall not use or disclose the information until the
710	724
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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		claim is resolved; shall take reasonable steps to
737	752		retrieve the information if the party has disclosed it
738	753		before being notified; and may promptly present the
739	754		information to the court under seal for a
740	755		determination of the claim. The producing party shall
741	756		preserve the information until the claim is resolved.
742	757		This mechanism is procedural only and does not alter
743	758		the standards governing whether the information is
744	759		privileged or subject to protection as trial
745	760		preparation material or whether such privilege or
746	761		protection has been waived.
747	762		C. PROTECTIVE ORDERS.
748	763		1. Upon motion by a party or by the person from whom discovery
749	764		is sought, accompanied by a certification that the movant has in
750	765		good faith conferred or attempted to confer, either in person or by
751	766		telephone, with other affected parties in an effort to resolve the
752	767		dispute without court action, and for good cause shown, the court in
753	768		which the action is pending or on matters relating to a deposition,
754	769		the district court in the county where the deposition is to be taken
755	770		may enter any order which justice requires to protect a party or
756	771		person from annoyance, harassment, embarrassment, oppression or
757	772		undue delay, burden or expense, including one or more of the
758	773		following:
759	774		a. that the discovery not be had,
760	775
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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		b. that the discovery may be had only on specified terms
787	803		and conditions, including a designation of the time,
788	804		place or the allocation of expenses,
789	805		c. that the discovery may be had only by a method of
790	806		discovery other than that selected by the party
791	807		seeking discovery,
792	808		d. that certain matters not be inquired into, or that the
793	809		scope of the disclosure or discovery be limited to
794	810		certain matters,
795	811		e. that discovery be conducted with no one present except
796	812		persons designated by the court,
797	813		f. that a deposition after being sealed be opene d only by
798	814		order of the court,
799	815		g. that a trade secret or other confidential research,
800	816		development or commercial information not be disclosed
801	817		or be disclosed only in a designated way, and
802	818		h. that the parties simultaneously file specified
803	819		documents or informa tion enclosed in sealed envelopes
804	820		to be opened as directed by the court.
805	821		2. If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or
806	822		in part, the court may, on such terms and conditions as are just,
807	823		order that any party or person provide or permit disco very. The
808	824		provisions of paragraph 4 of subsection A of Section 3237 of this
809	825		title apply to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the
810	826
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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		motion. Any protective order of the court which has the effect of
837	854		removing any material obtained by discovery fro m the public record
838	855		shall contain the following:
839	856		a. a statement that the court has determined it is
840	857		necessary in the interests of justice to remove the
841	858		material from the public record,
842	859		b. specific identification of the material which is to be
843	860		removed or withdrawn from the public record, or which
844	861		is to be filed but not placed in the public record,
845	862		and
846	863		c. a requirement that any party obtaining a protective
847	864		order place the protected material in a sealed manila
848	865		envelope clearly marked with the caption and case
849	866		number and is clearly marked with the word
850	867		“CONFIDENTIAL”, and stating the date the order was
851	868		entered and the name of the judge entering the order.
852	869		This requirement may also be satisfied by requiring
853	870		the party to file the documents pursuant to the
854	871		procedure for electronically filing sealed or
855	872		confidential documents approved for electronic filing
856	873		in the courts of this state.
857	874		3. No protective order entered after the filing and
858	875		microfilming of documents of any kind shall be construed to require
859	876		the microfilm record of such filing to be amended in any fashion.
860	877
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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		4. The party or counsel which has received the protective order
887	905		shall be responsible for promptly presenting the order to
888	906		appropriate court clerk personnel for appropriate action.
889	907		5. All documents produ ced or testimony given under a protective
890	908		order shall be retained in the office of counsel until required by
891	909		the court to be filed in the case.
892	910		6. Counsel for the respective parties shall be responsible for
893	911		informing witnesses, as necessary, of the conten ts of the protective
894	912		order.
895	913		7. When a case is filed in which a party intends to seek a
896	914		protective order removing material from the public record, the
897	915		plaintiff(s) and defendant(s) shall be initially designated on the
898	916		petition under pseudonym such as “John or Jane Doe”, or “Roe”, and
899	917		the petition shall clearly indicate that the party designations are
900	918		fictitious. The party seeking confidentiality or other order
901	919		removing the case, in whole or in part, from the public record,
902	920		shall immediately present applica tion to the court, seeking
903	921		instructions for the conduct of the case, including confidentiality
904	922		of the records.
905	923		D. SEQUENCE AND TIMING OF DISCOVERY. Unless the parties
906	924		stipulate or the court orders otherwise for the convenience of
907	925		parties and witnesses an d in the interests of justice, methods of
908	926		discovery may be used in any sequence. The fact that a party is
909	927
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911	930		2
912	931		3
913	932		4
914	933		5
915	934		6
916	935		7
917	936		8
918	937		9
919	938		10
920	939		11
921	940		12
922	941		13
923	942		14
924	943		15
925	944		16
926	945		17
927	946		18
928	947		19
929	948		20
930	949		21
931	950		22
932	951		23
933	952		24
934	953
935	954		conducting discovery, whether by deposition or otherwise, shall not
936	955		operate to delay discovery by any other party.
937	956		E. SUPPLEMENTATION OF RESPONSES. A party who has responded to
938	957		a request for discovery with a response that was complete when it
939	958		was made is under no duty to supplement the response to include
940	959		information thereafter acquired, except as follows:
941	960		1. A party is under a duty seasonably to su pplement the
942	961		response with respect to any question directly addressed to:
943	962		a. the identity and location of persons having knowledge
944	963		of discoverable matters, and
945	964		b. the identity of each person expected to be called as
946	965		an expert witness at trial, the subject matter on
947	966		which the person is expected to testify, and the
948	967		substance of the testimony of the person;
949	968		2. A party is under a duty seasonably to amend a prior response
950	969		to an interrogatory, request for production, or request for
951	970		admission if the party obtains information upon the basis of which:
952	971		a. (1) the party knows that the response was incorrect
953	972		in some material respect when made, or
954	973		(2) the party knows that the response, which was
955	974		correct when made, is no longer true in some
956	975		material respect, and
957	976
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959	979		2
960	980		3
961	981		4
962	982		5
963	983		6
964	984		7
965	985		8
966	986		9
967	987		10
968	988		11
969	989		12
970	990		13
971	991		14
972	992		15
973	993		16
974	994		17
975	995		18
976	996		19
977	997		20
978	998		21
979	999		22
980	1000		23
981	1001		24
982	1002
983	1003		b. the additional or corrective information has not
984	1004		otherwise been made known to the other parties during
985	1005		the discovery process or in writing; and
986	1006		3. A duty to supplement responses may be imposed by order of
987	1007		the court, agreement of the parties, or at any time pri or to trial
988	1008		through new requests for supplementation of prior responses.
989	1009		F. DISCOVERY CONFERENCE. At any time after commencement of an
990	1010		action, the court may direct the attorneys for the parties to appear
991	1011		for a conference on the subject of discovery. The court shall do so
992	1012		upon motion by the attorney for any party if the motion includes:
993	1013		1. A statement of the issues as they then appear;
994	1014		2. A proposed plan and schedule of discovery;
995	1015		3. Any limitations proposed to be placed on discovery;
996	1016		4. Any other proposed orders with respect to discovery; and
997	1017		5. A statement showing that the attorney making the motion has
998	1018		made a reasonable effort to reach agreement with opposing attorneys
999	1019		on the matters set forth in the motion.
1000	1020		Each party and his attorney are under a duty to participate in
1001	1021		good faith in the framing of a discovery plan if a plan is proposed
1002	1022		by the attorney for any party. Notice of the motion shall be served
1003	1023		on all parties. Objections or additions to matters set forth in the
1004	1024		motion shall be served not later than ten (10) days after service of
1005	1025		the motion.
1006	1026
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1008	1029		2
1009	1030		3
1010	1031		4
1011	1032		5
1012	1033		6
1013	1034		7
1014	1035		8
1015	1036		9
1016	1037		10
1017	1038		11
1018	1039		12
1019	1040		13
1020	1041		14
1021	1042		15
1022	1043		16
1023	1044		17
1024	1045		18
1025	1046		19
1026	1047		20
1027	1048		21
1028	1049		22
1029	1050		23
1030	1051		24
1031	1052
1032	1053		Following the discovery conference, the court shall enter an
1033	1054		order tentatively identifying the issues for discovery purposes,
1034	1055		establishing a plan and schedule for discovery, setting limitations
1035	1056		on discovery, if any; and determining such other matters, including
1036	1057		the allocation of expenses, as are necessary for the proper
1037	1058		management of discovery in the action. In preparing the plan for
1038	1059		discovery the court shall protect the parties from excessive or
1039	1060		abusive use of discovery. An order shall be altered or amended
1040	1061		whenever justice so requires.
1041	1062		Subject to the right of a party who properly moves for a
1042	1063		discovery conference to prompt convening of the conference, the
1043	1064		court may combine the discovery conference with a pretrial
1044	1065		conference.
1045	1066		G. SIGNING OF DISCOVERY REQUESTS, RESPONSES AND OBJECTIONS.
1046	1067		Every request for discovery, response or objection thereto made by a
1047	1068		party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one of
1048	1069		the party’s attorneys of record i n the party’s individual name whose
1049	1070		address shall be stated. A party who is not represented by an
1050	1071		attorney shall sign the request, response or objection and state the
1051	1072		party’s address. The signature of the attorney or party constitutes
1052	1073		a certification that the party has read the request, response or
1053	1074		objection, and that it is:
1054	1075		1. To the best of the party ’s knowledge, information and belief
1055	1076		formed after a reasonable inquiry consistent with the Oklahoma
1056	1077
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1058	1080		2
1059	1081		3
1060	1082		4
1061	1083		5
1062	1084		6
1063	1085		7
1064	1086		8
1065	1087		9
1066	1088		10
1067	1089		11
1068	1090		12
1069	1091		13
1070	1092		14
1071	1093		15
1072	1094		16
1073	1095		17
1074	1096		18
1075	1097		19
1076	1098		20
1077	1099		21
1078	1100		22
1079	1101		23
1080	1102		24
1081	1103
1082	1104		Discovery Code and warranted by existing law or a good faith
1083	1105		argument for the extension, modification or reversal of existing
1084	1106		law;
1085	1107		2. Interposed in good faith and not primarily to cause delay or
1086	1108		for any other improper purpose; and
1087	1109		3. Not unreasonable or unduly burdensome or expensive, given
1088	1110		the nature and complexity of the case, the discovery already had in
1089	1111		the case, the amount in controversy, and other values at stake in
1090	1112		the litigation. If a request, response or objection is not signed,
1091	1113		it shall be deemed ineffective.
1092	1114		If a certification is made in violation of the provisions of
1093	1115		this subsection, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative,
1094	1116		shall impose upon the person who made the certification, the party
1095	1117		on whose behalf the request, response or objection is made, or both,
1096	1118		an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay to the
1097	1119		amount of the reasonable expenses occasioned thereby, including a
1098	1120		reasonable attorney fee.
1099	1121		SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
1100	1122		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3226.2 of Titl e 12, unless there
1101	1123		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
1102	1124		As used in the Oklahoma Discovery Code:
1103	1125		1. “Commercial litigation funder ” means any person or entity,
1104	1126		other than an attorney permitted to charge a contingent fee
1105	1127		representing a party, that enters into a contract establishing a
1106	1128
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1108	1131		2
1109	1132		3
1110	1133		4
1111	1134		5
1112	1135		6
1113	1136		7
1114	1137		8
1115	1138		9
1116	1139		10
1117	1140		11
1118	1141		12
1119	1142		13
1120	1143		14
1121	1144		15
1122	1145		16
1123	1146		17
1124	1147		18
1125	1148		19
1126	1149		20
1127	1150		21
1128	1151		22
1129	1152		23
1130	1153		24
1131	1154
1132	1155		right to receive compensation that is contingent on and sourced from
1133	1156		any proceeds of the civil action by settlement, judgment, or
1134	1157		otherwise. Commercial litigation funder shall not include a
1135	1158		consumer litigation funder as defined in Section 3 -801 of Title 14A
1136	1159		of the Oklahoma Statutes;
1137	1160		2. “Commercial litigation funding agreement ” means an agreement
1138	1161		under which the commercial litigation funder is granted a right to
1139	1162		receive compensation contingent on and sourced from any proceeds of
1140	1163		a civil action by settlement, judgment, or otherwise. A commercial
1141	1164		litigation funding agreement shall not include:
1142	1165		a. funding provided by an attorney to a client as
1143	1166		authorized by the Oklahoma Rules of Professional
1144	1167		Conduct, Appendix 3–A of Chapter 1 of Title 5 of the
1145	1168		Oklahoma Statutes, unless such funds are encumbered
1146	1169		pursuant to a commercial litigation funding agreement ,
1147	1170		or
1148	1171		b. a consumer litigation funding agreement as defined in
1149	1172		Section 3-801 of Title 14A of the Oklahoma Statutes ;
1150	1173		3. “Entity controlled by a foreign adversary ” means, with
1151	1174		respect to a person, whether a human being or bodies politic or
1152	1175		corporate, that such person is:
1153	1176		a. a foreign person that is a national of, is
1154	1177		headquartered in, has its principal place of business
1155	1178
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1158	1182		3
1159	1183		4
1160	1184		5
1161	1185		6
1162	1186		7
1163	1187		8
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1165	1189		10
1166	1190		11
1167	1191		12
1168	1192		13
1169	1193		14
1170	1194		15
1171	1195		16
1172	1196		17
1173	1197		18
1174	1198		19
1175	1199		20
1176	1200		21
1177	1201		22
1178	1202		23
1179	1203		24
1180	1204
1181	1205		in, or is organized under the law of a foreign
1182	1206		adversary country,
1183	1207		b. a body corporate with respect to which a foreign
1184	1208		person or combination of foreign persons described in
1185	1209		subparagraph a of this paragraph directly or
1186	1210		indirectly owns at least 20 percent (20%) o f such
1187	1211		body, or
1188	1212		c. a person subject to the direction or control of a
1189	1213		foreign person or entity described in sub paragraph a
1190	1214		or b of this paragraph; and
1191	1215		4. “Foreign adversary country ” means a country identified in 10
1192	1216		U.S.C., Section 4872(d)(2) .
1193	1217		SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
1194		-	Passed the Senate the 24th day of March, 2025.
1195		-
1196		-
1197		-
1198		-	Presiding Officer of the Senate
1199		-
1200		-
1201		-	Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
1202		-	2025.
1203		-
1204		-
1205		-
1206		-	Presiding Officer of the House
1207		-	of Representatives
1208		-
	1218	+	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
	1219	+	February 11, 2025 - DO PASS