Opinion ID: 2031306
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Objections to requested discovery

Text: The defendants allege that they had valid objections to much of the requested material and that a lesser sanction was therefore appropriate for their failure to fully comply with the court's orders. The record demonstrates, however, that the defendants waived any objections they may have had to the requested discovery by failing to timely file objections and failing to oppose the plaintiffs' motions to compel disclosure. The plaintiffs' first set of interrogatories to each defendant and first request for production of documents were served on August 9, 1983. The defendants failed to serve answers or objections within thirty days as required by Rule 33(a) and 34(b), N.D.R.Civ.P. When they subsequently served tardy answers to the interrogatories and responded to the request for production of documents, they included conclusory objections to certain questions. The plaintiffs filed a motion to compel more complete responses and the defendants failed to respond in any manner to the motion. The court on February 9, 1984, ordered the defendants to provide all of the requested information. As previously noted, the court was required to issue two more orders compelling responses to these same discovery requests, and the defendants to this day have not completely complied with those orders. The plaintiffs' second set of interrogatories and a second request for production of documents were served on August 20, 1984. Again, the defendants failed to serve answers or objections within the required thirty days, but responses with various objections were served on November 30, 1984, after the plaintiffs had filed yet another motion to compel. When these responses were deemed inadequate, the trial court on February 17, 1985, ordered more complete responses. The final discovery sought was plaintiff Joseph Vorachek's request for production of documents, served on April 1, 1985. The defendants filed no response within thirty days, nor did they respond to Joseph Vorachek's motion to compel or the court's order directing them to provide the documents. Not until the plaintiffs had moved for sanctions did the defendants note their objections to producing these documents. The rules envision two permissible courses of action for a party who seeks to prevent discovery of certain information sought in interrogatories or in a request for production of documents. The party may serve written objections within thirty days pursuant to Rules 33 and 34, N.D.R. Civ.P., or the party may make a timely motion to the court for a protective order pursuant to Rule 26(c), N.D.R.Civ.P. The defendants did neither. In the absence of an extension of time, the failure to serve an objection to an interrogatory or request for production within the thirty-day period prescribed by Rules 33 and 34 constitutes a waiver of any objection. E.g., Davis v. Fendler, 650 F.2d 1154, 1160 (9th Cir.1981); Fretz v. Keltner, 109 F.R.D. 303, 309 (D.Kan.1985); Antico v. Honda of Camden, 85 F.R.D. 34, 35-36 (E.D.Pa.1979); 8 Wright & Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure: Civil § 2173 (1970). Similarly, the failure to move for a protective order prior to the date set for discovery will ordinarily preclude a later objection. E.g., United States v. International Business Machines Corp., 79 F.R.D. 412, 414 (S.D.N.Y.1978); 8 Wright & Miller, supra, at § 2035. Even if their objections had been preserved by timely filing of objections, their subsequent failure to respond to motions to compel would also constitute a waiver of their objections, because on a motion to compel the objecting party has the burden of persuading the court that the interrogatory or request is improper. See 8 Wright & Miller, supra, at § 2173. Furthermore, failure to respond to a motion is deemed an admission that the motion is meritorious. See Rule 3.2(d), N.D.R.O.C. We conclude that the defendants waived any objections to the discovery requested, and therefore the meritoriousness of any possible objection does not provide a basis for a determination that the court abused its discretion in imposing sanctions.