Opinion ID: 1388652
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Alleged Attempt to Pay Anton to Conceal Documents

Text: A third issue cited by the district court in its order of dismissal was a hearsay report of an alleged attempt by someone to bribe Anton to conceal information. One of Defendants' attorneys, Ms. Badger, submitted a written affidavit to the district court in which she stated that she had received a phone call from a person she did not know who claimed to be an attorney from Houston and personal counsel for Anton. According to Ms. Badger, the person who represented himself as Anton's personal counsel from Houston alleged that Plaintiffs had offered to pay Anton to conceal data favorable to Defendants. Ms. Badger asserted that the man on the phone sought compensation from her for documents in Anton's possession. The affidavit did not allege that the man on the phone identified specifically who had made an offer to Anton. The district court expressly found in its order of dismissal that Defendants' attorney, Ms. Badger, was credible due to [her] almost twenty-years of respected practice in front of this Court. The district court relied on the affidavit and the credibility assessment of Ms. Badger in finding that Plaintiffs had abused the discovery process.