Opinion ID: 766754
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motion for Discovery

Text: 10 Attorney Jarrett argues that the district court erred in denying his motion for discovery on the issues of whether the co-personal representatives of Malice Green's estate acted jointly in retaining Brandy and whether plaintiff Edniquech Grubbs objected to Jarrett's participation in the case. He asserts that the district court ruled on those issues without giving notice that it intended to do so, and thereforethat he was denied due process by this ruling. Because the discovery sought was irrelevant to the underlying issue, and because the discovery request had become moot due to the district court's ruling on the underlying issue, the district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Jarrett's motion. 11 Rulings concerning the scope of discovery are generally reviewed for abuse of discretion. See Criss v. City of Kent, 867 F.2d 259, 261 (6th Cir. 1988). The district court does not abuse its discretion in denying discovery when the discovery requested would be irrelevant to the underlying issue to be decided. See, e.g., id. at 262 (holding that the district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to allow discovery on the issue of a police officer's actual motives and beliefs, because actual motives and beliefs are irrelevant to the underlying probable cause inquiry). Here, the district court found that discovery concerning the contingency fee contracts would be irrelevant, because the dispute involved the construction of an unambiguous contract, for which parol evidence would not be admissible. See, e.g., Zurich Ins. Co. v. CCR & Co., 576 N.W.2d 392, 395 (Mich. Ct. App.), appeal dismissed, 572 N.W.2d 13 (Mich. 1997), and appeal denied, 583 N.W.2d 902 (Mich. 1998). Moreover, this court's holding that the district court had broad authority to review the fee agreements for their reasonableness, see Green, 111 F.3d at 1302-03, provides an additional reason why the desired discovery was irrelevant. Even if the co-personal representatives had acted jointly in retaining Brandy and had consented to Jarrett's participation, the district court would have had the authority to review and invalidate the fee agreements as excessive or unreasonable. Therefore, the district court did not abuse its discretion in this case by denying as irrelevant the appellant's motion for further discovery relating to the validity of the fee agreements. 12 Jarrett's discovery motion was also moot. The test for mootness 'is whether the relief sought would, if granted, make a difference to the legal interests of the parties . ...' McPherson v. Michigan High Sch. Athletic Ass'n, Inc., 119 F.3d 453, 458 (6th Cir. 1997) (en banc) (quoting Crane v. Indiana High Sch. Athletic Ass'n, 975 F.2d 1315, 1318 (7th Cir. 1992) (citation omitted)). In this case, the invalidity of the contingency fee agreements had already been determined by the district court and affirmed by this court on appeal. See Green, 111 F.3d at 1301-03. Because the district court could not, on remand, have taken any action inconsistent with the judgment of the appellate court, granting the appellant's discovery request could not have any legal consequences. Therefore, the discovery motion was moot, and the district court did not err in denying it. 13 Jarrett claims that he was denied due process by the district court's failure to give him notice that it intended to rule on a matter affecting his financial interests. The record indicates, however, that counsel were invited by the district court to submit information regarding their contingency fee agreements prior to the November 7, 1994 order. On September 6, 1994, for example, the district court issued an order setting a hearing on the distribution of settlement proceeds and directing that any proposal for distribution of attorneys' fees be submitted to the court on or before October 3, 1994. J.A. at 243-44. Jarrett was therefore aware that the district court intended to decide the issue of attorney fees at the October 21, 1994 hearing and had an opportunity to submit relevant information.