Opinion ID: 1678244
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: did the trial court properly deny kaarups' motion to compel discovery?

Text: The scope of pretrial discovery is, for the most part, broadly construed. Bean v. Best, 76 S.D. 462, 80 N.W.2d 565 (1957). SDCL 15-6-26(b) provides, Parties may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action.... A broad construction of the discovery rules is necessary to satisfy the three distinct purposes of discovery: (1) narrow the issues; (2) obtain evidence for use at trial; (3) secure information that may lead to admissible evidence at trial. 8 C. Wright and A. Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure, § 2001 (1970). We previously concurred with the United States Supreme Court's construction of the discovery rules set forth in the seminal case of Hickman v. Taylor, 329 U.S. 495, 67 S.Ct. 385, 91 L.Ed. 451 (1947). State By and Through Dept. of Transp. v. Grudnik 90 S.D. 571, 243 N.W.2d 796 (1976). The Supreme Court stated in Hickman, supra : ... the deposition-discovery rules are to be accorded a broad and liberal treatment. No longer can the time-honored cry of fishing expedition serve to preclude a party from inquiring into the facts underlying his opponent's case. Mutual knowledge of all the relevant facts gathered by both parties is essential to proper litigation. To that end, either party may compel the other to disgorge whatever facts he has in his possession. The deposition-discovery procedure simply advances the stage at which the disclosure can be compelled from the time of trial to the period preceding it, thus reducing the possibility of surprise. But discovery, like all matters of procedure, has ultimate and necessary boundaries. 329 U.S. at 507, 67 S.Ct. at 392, 91 L.Ed. at 460. Our position on the scope of discovery has not changed. All relevant matters are discoverable unless privileged. In this regard, the trial court erred by denying Kaarups' discovery request on the basis that the materials sought by them could not legally become a part of the Kaarups' action against St. Paul and Home Federal. The proper standard for ruling on a discovery motion is whether the information sought is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action.... SDCL 15-6-26(b)(1). This phraseology implies a broad construction of relevancy at the discovery stage because one of the purposes of discovery is to examine information that may lead to admissible evidence at trial. 8 C. Wright and A. Miller, supra, § 2008. Apparently some of the information Kaarups requested in their suit against St. Paul and Home Federal was produced by St. Paul in the Lincoln County action. We find it unnecessary for St. Paul to once again produce this same information in response to Kaarups' discovery request in Kaarup v. St. Paul Fire and Marine and Home Federal. To hold otherwise would result in the unnecessary duplication of discovery, especially when the same attorney has represented Kaarups in both actions. We also find that Kaarups have failed to show the information sought in the insurance claim file from the malpractice action is relevant to the subject matter of this action or will lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. We affirm the trial court's denial of discovery in this regard.