It appears that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In many significant areas, a large percentage of the attorneys and judges see little effect on the overall cost of litigation and the time it takes to get to trial. For example, they see no effect on the number of depositions, the number of discovery disputes, earlier settlement, overall fairness, or time from filing to disposition, just to name a few. The judges tend to believe the Rules are working and are more effective than do the attorneys. The great majority of judges would like to see more involvement by magistrates.
Attorneys are less enthused.
Judges tend to favor more control and greater limitations on discovery, particularly in the area of experts. Attorneys tend to favor more flexibility and fewer restrictions. While the percentages vary, there are many areas in which the judges and attorneys agree. Since 25 percent of both were neutral, I would conclude that they both believe more motions are being filed. The judges and attorneys also have their differences.