Opinion ID: 166546
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Order to Compel Production of Insurance Documents

Text: 55 Zurich also requested post-judgment relief in the form of a preliminary injunction compelling Matrix to produce the premium payment documents for August to October, 2001. In its supporting brief, Zurich argued that it needed the requested documents in support of its appeal from the district court's grant of summary judgment. (R.App. at 43.) On appeal, Zurich points out that Matrix was obligated to provide the requested premium payment documentation under the contract and therefore, the district court erred by denying its request to compel the production of the documents. 56 Zurich misapprehends the form and nature of post-judgment relief. Zurich had multiple opportunities before final judgment was entered to involve the district court and obtain the requested premium payment documents. During discovery, Zurich could have filed a discovery request for the payment documents under Rule 26(b)(1) or Rule 34 and moved for an order compelling inspection under Rule 37(a)(2)(B). Alternately, assuming Zurich is correct that Matrix was obligated under the insurance contract to provide the documents and should have disclosed them under Rule 26(a)(1)(B), it could have filed a request to compel production under Rule 37(a)(2)(A). However, Zurich neither requested the documents nor raised Matrix's failure to produce the documents during the discovery phase of its lawsuit. 57 After discovery concluded, Zurich could have argued Matrix failed to prove in its Motion for Summary Judgment that Ortiz was covered due to Matrix's failure to provide evidence of coverage in the form of premium payment documentation. Or, as pointed out by the district court, Zurich could have filed for a continuance under Rule 56(f) after the summary judgment motions were filed to permit affidavits to be obtained or depositions to be taken or discovery to be had in order to alert the district court to the existence of the documents and their essential nature to the outcome of the case. Zurich did neither. 58 Instead, Zurich waited until after judgment was entered to file a Rule 60 motion and include a request for a preliminary injunction to compel the production of the documents. However, its request for a preliminary injunction is an attempt to reopen discovery in order to obtain documents it had known about, but failed to request during discovery. This is not recognized under Rule 59 or 60 as a grounds for reopening the judgment. Like the district court, we are disturbed by the timeliness of Zurich notifying the [district c]ourt of this issue. (R.App. at 14.) Zurich should have exercised diligence by complaining before the court reached a decision. See Tool Box, Inc. v. Ogden City Corp., 419 F.3d 1084 (10th Cir.2005) (Courts have refused to allow a postjudgment amendment when, as here, the moving party had an opportunity to seek the amendment before entry of judgment but waited until after judgment before requesting leave.). Zurich's request for a preliminary injunction is merely an attempt to conduct discovery for a second time and litigate a different case on appeal than it did in the district court. Concern for finality counsels against allowing requests for preliminary injunctions aimed at discovering documents after judgment is entered.