Opinion ID: 2976899
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Discovery Sanction Facts Used Against Vince

Text: The discovery sanctions cannot stand as used against Vince. The record does not show that Vince was ever served with a discovery request, much less a court order compelling discovery. Discovery sanctions may be appropriate when a party “fails to obey an order to provide or permit discovery.” Fed. R. Civ. P 37(b)(2). “[T]he general rule [is] that one party to litigation will not be subjected to sanctions for failure to cooperate in discovery because of the failure of another to comply with discovery, absent a showing that the other party controlled the actions of the non-complying party.” Patton, 765 F.2d at 606 (quotation omitted). There is -7- No. 07-3338 Peltz v. Moretti, et al. nothing in the record to suggest that Vince controlled the actions of other, non-complying parties. Without such a showing, the sanctions may not be used against a party who never defied a court order compelling discovery.