Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_15-cv-01129/USCOURTS-cand-4_15-cv-01129-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 15:53(b) - Prelim &amp; Perm Inj Relief &amp; other Equitable Relief

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION,

Plaintiff,

v.

DIRECTV, INC., et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 15-cv-01129-HSG (MEJ)

DISCOVERY ORDER

Re: Dkt. No. 102

Pending before the Court is the parties’ discovery letter concerning Plaintiff Federal Trade 

Commission’s (the “FTC”) request to compel Defendants DIRECTV and DIRECTV, LLC

(“Defendants”) to respond to its Interrogatory Request 10, which seeks the following: “Identify 

each Person for whom or on whose behalf DIRECTV has paid any fees or costs for legal 

representation in connection with this action.” Jt. Ltr. at 1, Dkt. No. 102. The FTC explains that 

Defendants have produced only 38 documents in response to its requests for production, and the 

FTC has therefore subpoenaed that evidence from nonparties that do business with Defendants. 

Id. However, after the FTC issued the subpoenas, Defendants’ counsel, Sidley Austin LLP, took

over representation of the nonparties. Id. The FTC argues information regarding the breadth of 

nonparty representation coverage by Sidley is relevant because it raises concerns about 

Defendants’ influence over the nonparties. Id. at 2. However, as the FTC admits, it does not seek 

to compel any nonparty’s production through this request. Id. If the FTC claims nonparties are 

improperly withholding documents, it should first seek to compel disclosure from those 

nonparties, as any influence Defendants have over the nonparties is not at issue if the FTC is able 

to obtain the discovery to which it is entitled. Accordingly, the Court DENIES the FTC’s request

without prejudice.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 11, 2016

______________________________________

MARIA-ELENA JAMES

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:15-cv-01129-HSG Document 103 Filed 02/11/16 Page 1 of 1