Opinion ID: 1933310
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Plaintiffs' Failure to Inspect Category A Documents.

Text: The defendants also contend that they produced for inspection by opposing counsel those Category A records and documents as to which the motions judge granted the plaintiffs' motion to compel discovery, but that opposing counsel never examined these records. At argument, the plaintiffs' counsel conceded that this was true. Although, to put it charitably, there is little to commend a practice of demanding access to records and documents and of then ignoring them after they have been duly produced for inspection and copying, [15] the plaintiffs' unorthodox approach to the Category A records is essentially irrelevant to their right to receive Category B information, at least in the absence of overlap between the two groups. Whether or not the plaintiffs made use of available information relating to one set of issues, they had the right to receive relevant information on other issues. The defendants have provided us with no authority for the proposition that discovery to which the plaintiffs were otherwise entitled may be denied for reasons relating to the manner in which they exercised (or, in this case, failed to exercise) other discovery rights. Moreover, absent a crystal ball, the motions judge could not have based her denial of access to Category B information on the plaintiffs' failure to inspect Category A records, for that conduct had not yet occurred at the time of her order. [16] We note, at the same time, that the defendants are obviously under no obligation, simply because the plaintiffs have failed to exercise their rights, to produce something for the plaintiffs' inspection more than once. If it is established to the satisfaction of the trial judge that any Category B records now sought by the plaintiffs were made available under Category A, but not inspected or copied, the judge may exercise his or her discretion accordingly.