Opinion ID: 777979
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Amended Complaint and Extended Discovery

Text: 33 We next consider whether the district court abused its discretion by denying Bernard's motion to amend his complaint to add BNC as an additional party. We review an order to deny leave to amend a complaint for abuse of discretion. Bell v. Allstate Life Ins. Co., 160 F.3d 452, 454 (8th Cir.1998) (citations omitted). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a)(2001) provides that a party may amend the party's pleading only by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse party; and leave shall be freely given when justice so requires. However, [w]here an amendment would likely result in the burdens of additional discovery and delay to the proceedings, a court usually does not abuse its discretion in denying leave to amend. Popp Telcom v. American Sharecom, Inc. 210 F.3d 928, 943 (8th Cir.2000) (citation omitted). Bernard's attempt to include BNC as an additional defendant two and a half years into the litigation would have extended the matter indefinitely. We believe it was possible for Bernard to extract relevant information regarding BNC's role in the dispute without joining it as a party, and therefore affirm the district court's order not to permit Bernard to amend his complaint to include BNC as a defendant. 34 The final issue for our consideration is whether the district court abused its discretion by refusing to extend the discovery deadline. See Stanback v. Best Diversified Products, 180 F.3d 903, 910-11 (8th Cir.1999) (citation omitted). Bernard claims that he was entitled to additional discovery because Casino Magic engaged in obstructionist and delay tactics in violation of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1)(B), and failed to designate an adequate corporate representative for its deposition under Rule 30(b)(6). He alleges that these actions hampered his attempt to gather necessary documents during the discovery period. 35 A party opposing summary judgment who believes that he has not had adequate opportunity to conduct discovery must seek relief pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(f), which requires that party to show what specific facts further discovery might unveil. Stanback v. Best Diversified Products, Inc., 180 F.3d 903, 911 (8th Cir.1999) (quoting Dulany v. Carnahan, 132 F.3d 1234, 1238 (8th Cir.1997)). The court may then refuse to grant summary judgment, order a continuance to permit further discovery, or such other order as is just. FED. R. CIV. P. 56(f). The purpose of subdivision (f) is to provide an additional safeguard against an improvident or premature grant of summary judgment... and [the rule] should be applied with a spirit of liberality. 10B Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller & Mary Kay Kane, Federal Practice and Procedure: Civil 3d § 2740 (1998). 36 The record shows that Bernard filed a 56(f) request to extend the discovery deadline due to Casino Magic's alleged discovery abuses. He failed to attach an affidavit to support his request. The district court granted summary judgment in Casino Magic's favor without addressing the discovery abuses, noting that both parties [had] been given the opportunity to engage in extensive discovery. United States Ex. Rel. Maynard Bernard v. Casino Magic Corp., Civ. 98-1033, slip op. at 9 n. 5 (D.S.D. April 23, 2001) (order granting motion for summary judgment). 37 We acknowledge that the discovery period in the matter exceeded two years, and that both parties contributed to the delay. It was within the district court's discretion to refuse to extend the discovery period. In light of our decision that summary judgment must be reversed, discovery must continue for a single purpose: to determine what fees were paid by the Tribe to Casino Magic, as the record is hopelessly unclear as to whether any fees were paid, and if so, the amount thereof.