Opinion ID: 1249059
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Preclusion of New Studies

Text: The government does express concern that under the December 2005 and February 2006 orders, its previously identified experts will not be able to rely on three scientific studies dealing with asbestos-related exposure levels and diseases because these studies were not disclosed prior to December 5, 2005. To the extent that the district court's orders would preclude these studies because the government committed a discovery violation by failing to disclose them earlier, the orders currently lack the proper foundation for such a sanction. As with the preclusion of expert witnesses, the district court has not made a finding that the government willfully failed to disclose these studies earlier in order to gain a tactical advantage. See Finley, 301 F.3d at 1018. On the other hand, there is a difference between restricting what an expert may introduce in support of his testimony and excluding his testimony altogether, as Finley recognizes. See id. at 1018 (noting that [t]he severe sanction of total exclusion of the testimony was disproportionate to the alleged harm) (emphasis added). Thus, the district court may be able to articulate legitimate reasons to restrict the use of the studies when it addresses the specifics of the government's failure to disclose the studies earlier. Whether there is any basis for exclusion of these documents is unclear on the record before us. It appears these studies were not in existenceat least in their final formuntil after December 2005; all of the studies were finalized or published after the disclosure deadline imposed by the district court. Because the government has not yet presented these studies to the district court, the court has not yet had a chance to determine whether there is a proper basis for exclusion, oreven if there is such a basiswhether it would allow the studies' use as a matter of discretion. We therefore remand the question to the district court for resolution.