Opinion ID: 764886
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Other allegedly improper May 8 Rulings

Text: 63 In view of NatWest's failure to produce the Deal Files until the eve of trial, we cannot say that the district court abused its discretion by barring NatWest from using those files at trial. See Softel, 118 F.3d at 963; Cine Forty Second St. Theatre Corp., 602 F.2d at 1068. In any case, any error was harmless, as even now NatWest cannot point to a single document from those files that could have been important to its case. Instead, it argues only that it would have used the Deal Files to demonstrate the lack of documentation substantiating Reilly's contract claims. As NatWest is aware, however, Reilly himself complained about the lack of such documentation repeatedly during trial. Thus, NatWest has failed to show prejudice arising from the preclusion of the Deal Files. 64 Similarly, Judge Conti did not abuse his discretion in barring NatWest from using Reilly's deposition to impeach his testimony at trial. During that deposition, Liddle questioned Reilly repeatedly about the extent of his participation in various transactions. Frequently, Reilly was unable to give specific answers because he did not have his Deal Files. Preventing NatWest from capitalizing on Reilly's inability to describe his specific participation in various transactions was an eminently fair exercise of Judge Conti's discretion. 65 Finally, the trial judge did not abuse his discretion in quashing the third party subpoenas served in violation of Judge Sprizzo's unequivocal order that Reilly receive five days notice of such subpoenas. NatWest contends that because that order had been issued before the liability trial, it did not apply to damages discovery. The record simply does not support that contention.