Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-02132/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-02132-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Jonathan Brenn
Defendant
Corcoran District Hospital
Defendant
Sue Fairchild
Defendant
Lyle D. Griffith
Plaintiff
David Hill
Defendant
Lisa Ivers
Defendant
James Carter Thomas
Defendant

Document Text:

FARLEY LAW FIRM

108 WEST CENTER AVENUE

VISALIA, CA 93291

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ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE 

COMMITTEE OF CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LYLE D. GRIFFITH, M.D., an individual,

Plaintiff,

v.

CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL, a 

district hospital; JONATHAN BRENN,

CEO of CORCORAN DISTRICT 

HOSPITAL and an individual; DAVID 

HILL, an individual; JAMES CARTER 

THOMAS, M.D., an individual; LISA 

IVERS, Chief Nursing Officer of 

CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL and 

an individual; SUE FAIRCHILD,

Operating Room Supervisor for 

CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL and

an individual; and DOES 1 through 25, 

inclusive

Defendants.

Case No. 1:09-CV-02132-LJO-GSA

ORDER RE: PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR 

DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF 

CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND 

PROTECTIVE ORDER

On July 22, 2010, an informal discovery dispute was held. Plaintiff was represented by 

Rhys-Boyd-Farrell, and Defendants were represented by Michael Popcke. Based on the 

agreement of the parties that the Court’s indicated ruling will become the order of the Court, IT 

IS HEREBY ORDERED as follows : 

Case 1:09-cv-02132-LJO-GSA Document 38 Filed 08/02/10 Page 1 of 5
FARLEY LAW FIRM

108 WEST CENTER AVENUE

VISALIA, CA 93291

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ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

OF CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

1) that any and all documents or information relating to the MEC proceedings involving 

Plaintiff LYLE D. GRIFFITH, M.D., and relevant to Plaintiff’s claims in the instant action, shall 

be subject to discovery and not privileged under California Evidence Code §1157, including, but 

not limited to, deposition testimony, production of documents, and written discovery requests; 

and

2) that any patient information contained any discovery responses related to the MEC 

proceedings shall be redacted as deemed necessary by Defendants in order to comply with 

applicable federal statutes; and

3) that the following Protective Order and procedures shall govern the use and/or 

disclosure of information produced by Defendants relating to the proceedings of the Medical 

Executive Committee of Corcoran District Hospital in connection with discovery proceeding in 

this action:

a. In connection with discovery proceedings in this action, Defendants may designate 

any document, thing, material, testimony or other information derived therefrom, relating to the 

proceedings of the Medical Executive Committee of Corcoran District Hospital as “Confidential 

Records” and subject to this Protective Order (hereinafter “Order”).

By designating a document, thing, material, testimony or other information derived 

therefrom as “confidential,” under the terms of this order, the party making this designation is 

certifying to the court that there is a good faith basis both in law and in fact for the designation 

within the meaning of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(g).

b. Confidential documents shall be so designated by stamping copies of the document 

produce to a party with the legend “CONFIDENTIAL.” Stamping the legend 

“CONFIDENTIAL” on the cover of any multipage document shall designate all pages of the 

document as confidential, unless otherwise indicated by the producing party.

c. Testimony taken at a deposition, conference, hearing or trial may be designated as 

confidential by making a statement to that effect on the record at the deposition or other 

proceeding. Arrangements shall be made with the court reporter taking and transcribing such 

Case 1:09-cv-02132-LJO-GSA Document 38 Filed 08/02/10 Page 2 of 5
FARLEY LAW FIRM

108 WEST CENTER AVENUE

VISALIA, CA 93291

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ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

OF CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

proceeding to separately bind such portions of the transcript containing information designated as 

confidential, and to label such portions appropriately.

d. Material designated as confidential under this Order, the information contained 

therein, and any summaries, copies, abstracts, or other documents derived in whole or in part 

from material designated as confidential (hereinafter “Confidential Material”) shall be treated as 

confidential and shall not be used for any purpose other than the prosecution or defense of this 

litigation, including discovery, law and motion, and pre-trial matters, trial, and any appeal taken 

herein. Confidential Material shall not be used for any other purposes unless agreed to in writing 

by all parties to this Order, except as required by lawful subpoena or court order, or as authorized 

by further order of this Court.

e. Confidential Material produced pursuant to this Order may be disclosed or made 

available only to the Court, to counsel for a party (including the paralegal, clerical, and secretarial 

staff employed by such counsel), and to the “qualified persons” designated below:

(i) a party, or an officer, director, or employee of a party deemed necessary by 

counsel to aid in the prosecution, defense, or settlement of this action;

(ii) experts or consultants (together with their clerical staff) retained by such counsel 

to assist in the prosecution, defense, or settlement of this action;

(iii) court reporter(s) employed in this action;

(iv) a witness at any deposition or other proceeding in this action; and

(v) any other person at to whom the parties in writing agree.

Before the attorneys disclose Confidential Material to any “qualified person” above, other 

than the Court or Court staff, they must inform the person receiving such Confidential Material of 

their confidential nature, and his or her duty to abide by the terms of the Protective Order and to 

maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Material.

f. Depositions shall be taken only in the presence of qualified persons.

g. Nothing herein shall impose any restrictions on the use or disclosure by a party of 

material obtained by such party independent of discovery in this action, whether or not such 

material is also obtained through discovery in this action, or from disclosing its own Confidential 

Case 1:09-cv-02132-LJO-GSA Document 38 Filed 08/02/10 Page 3 of 5
FARLEY LAW FIRM

108 WEST CENTER AVENUE

VISALIA, CA 93291

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ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

OF CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

Material as it deems appropriate.

h. Any copies of Confidential Material to be attached as an exhibit to a motion or 

other pleading, or otherwise to be filed with the Court in this litigation, shall be filed under seal 

according to the provisions of Local Rule 39-141(c).

i. In the event that any Confidential Material is used in any court proceeding in this 

action, it shall not lose its confidential status through such use, and the party using such shall take 

all reasonable steps to maintain its confidentiality during such use.

j. This Order shall be without prejudice to the right of the parties (i) to bring before 

the Court at any time the question of whether any particular document or information is 

confidential or whether its use should be restricted or (ii) to present a motion to the Court under 

FRCP 26(c) for a separate protective order as to any particular document or information, 

including restrictions differing from those as specified herein. This Order shall not be deemed to 

prejudice the parties in any way in any future application for modification of this Order.

k. This Order is entered solely for the purpose of facilitating the exchange of 

documents and information between the parties to this action without involving the Court 

unnecessarily in the process. Nothing in this Order nor the production of any information or 

document under the terms of this Order nor any proceedings pursuant to this Order shall be 

deemed to have the effect of an admission or waiver by either party or of altering the 

confidentiality or nonconfidentiality of any such document or information or altering any existing 

obligation of any party or the absence thereof.

l. This Order shall survive the final termination of this action, to the extent that the 

information contained in Confidential Material is not or does not become known to the public, 

and the Court shall retain jurisdiction to resolve any dispute concerning the use of information 

disclosed hereunder. Upon termination of this case, all copies of the Confidential Material shall 

be destroyed by the party in possession; provided, however, that counsel shall be entitled to retain

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FARLEY LAW FIRM

108 WEST CENTER AVENUE

VISALIA, CA 93291

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ORDER ON PLAINTIFF’S REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY FROM THE MEDICAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

OF CORCORAN DISTRICT HOSPITAL AND PROTECTIVE ORDER

and preserve a litigation file in this matter, including Confidential Material. Any Confidential 

Material so retained shall remain subject to the terms of this Protective Order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

July 30, 2010 /s/ Gary S. Austin

United States Magistrate Judge

Gary S. Austin

Case 1:09-cv-02132-LJO-GSA Document 38 Filed 08/02/10 Page 5 of 5