Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02445/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02445-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1345 Property Damage

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-09-2445 KJM EFB

vs.

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

On January 21, 2011, the undersigned held a hearing on Sierra Pacific Industries’ Motion

to Compel Compliance with Court Order and Production of Documents, and for Sanctions. 

SPI moved to compel two categories of documents. The first category consisted of

documents the United States had withheld from its production of Karen Juska and Caleb Lief’s

personnel files on the basis of attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine. Dckt. No.

119 at 2-3. After SPI filed the motion, the United States withdrew its privilege and work product

objections and produced the documents. See Taylor Decl., Dckt. No. 125 at 8. Although the

privilege was recently withdrawn as to these documents the court finds that the United States

properly preserved its privilege objections in its initial response to the request. However, as SPI

has now been provided these documents, the motion to compel is denied as moot. 

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Case 2:09-cv-02445-WBS-AC Document 138 Filed 01/25/11 Page 1 of 3
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The second category of documents consisted of documents responsive to SPI’s Requests

for Production Nos, 9, 36-67, and 70-84. Dckt. No. 119 at 3. The United States represents that it

has conducted a reasonable search and made diligent inquiries to locate and produce responsive

documents. Dckt. No. 131 at 30-31. That representation is properly verified in the Taylor

declaration which describes in detail the search that was conducted. The court finds those efforts

to be diligent and in compliance with the plaintiff’s discovery obligations. Accordingly, the

motion to compel must be denied as to these documents as well. 

SPI requests that the court order the United States not to withhold any responsive

documents that may be located in the future on the basis of privilege because 1) the United

States has waived its privileges, and 2) the crime-fraud exception applies. The court finds that 

privileges have not yet been waived as to documents that the United States has not yet located. 

Moreover, SPI has not established the necessary two elements to invoke the crime-fraud

exception: 1) that the United States Forest Service was engaged in or planning a criminal or

fraudulent scheme when it sought the advice of the United States Attorney to further the scheme

and 2) that the documents sought are sufficiently related to and were made in furtherance of the

intended, or present, continuing illegality.

For these reasons, as well as the reasons stated on the record, it is hereby ORDERED

that:

1. Sierra Pacific Industries’ Motion to Compel Compliance with Court Order and

Production of Documents, and for Sanctions is denied. See Dckt. No. 119.

2. The parties’ requests to Seal Documents Pursuant to L.R. 141 are granted. The Clerk

of the Court is directed to seal the following documents pursuant to Local Rule 141: Exhibits

10, 11, 16, 19, 26, 27 and 34-44 to the Declaration of William R. Warne; an unredacted version

of the Joint Statement Re Discovery Dispute; Exhibits 5A, 5B, 6, 25, and 26 to the Declaration

of Kelli Taylor; and unredacted versions of the declarations of Alice Carlton and Kelli Taylor. 

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The parties are permitted to file redacted versions of these documents in the public docket.

DATED: January 24, 2011.

Case 2:09-cv-02445-WBS-AC Document 138 Filed 01/25/11 Page 3 of 3