Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-01386/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-01386-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1981 Civil Rights

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

 

Saguaro Medical Associates, P.C., an

Arizona professional corporation; and

Rakesh Malhotra, M.D., 

Plaintiffs, 

vs.

Banner Health, an Arizona corporation,

d/b/a Banner Thunderbird Medical

Center,

Defendant.

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No. CV-08-1386 PHX-DGC

ORDER

On August 3, 2009, Defendant Banner Health moved to intervene in an unrelated case,

AAA Arizona, Inc. v. American Commerce Insurance Co., CV 05-1426-PHX-SMM, to gain

access to sealed documents that it hoped to use to impeach Plaintiffs’ expert witness in this

case. See CV 05-1426-PHX-SMM, Dkt. #217. Judge McNamee denied the request, stating

that “[d]iscovery in the underlying case before Judge Campbell is over pursuant to the Case

Management Order” and that “[a]ny request to intervene to obtain the expert reports and

deposition testimony of Dr. Clarke should have occurred during the designated discovery

period.” CV 05-1426-PHX-SMM, Dkt. #228 at 2-3. Judge McNamee further stated that

“Banner Health had knowledge while discovery was still ongoing that Dr. Clarke was

retained as an expert by the opposing side” and that it had “sufficient time” to conduct

discovery on this issue before the discovery deadline passed. Id. at 3. Judge McNamee

stated, however, that if Judge Campbell decided “that the requested information is

Case 2:08-cv-01386-DGC Document 177 Filed 01/22/10 Page 1 of 2
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discoverable at this stage in the proceedings,” the Court would unseal the reports. Id. at 3.

Banner Health now asks this Court to enter an order stating that “the release of these

documents would not violate any order of this Court.” Dkt. #135. The Court will deny this

request.

The discovery deadline in this case has long since passed, the Court has ruled on

dispositive motions, and motions in limine have been filed. A final pretrial conference will

be held next week. Banner Health knew as of April 17, 2009 that Dr. Clarke would serve as

an expert for Plaintiffs, yet waited almost four months to request the sealed documents from

Judge McNamee. Dkt. #85. After obtaining Judge McNamee’s order of November 5, 2009,

Banner Health waited another month before filing this request. The discovery period is

closed.

IT IS ORDERED that Banner Health’s request for access to sealed documents

(Dkt. #135) is denied. 

DATED this 22nd day of January, 2010.

Case 2:08-cv-01386-DGC Document 177 Filed 01/22/10 Page 2 of 2