Opinion ID: 167649
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Circuits Adopting Selective Waiver

Text: 47 Only one circuit has specifically adopted selective waiver in the work-product arena. The Fourth Circuit has approved using selective waiver in relation to opinion work product. In Martin Marietta, the court concluded the company had made testimonial use of non-opinion work product by disclosing it to the government, and that the waiver was comprehensive. 856 F.2d at 625. Noting that opinion work product generally receives greater protection from the courts, however, and that Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(3) suggests especial protection for opinion work product, the court declined to hold that the company had waived work-product protection for opinion work product. Id. at 626. 48 In Permian, the D.C. Circuit upheld the district court's finding that the work-product doctrine had not been waived as to the majority of documents. 665 F.2d at 1222. This ruling, however, contains no analysis and may have been the product of the clearly erroneous standard of review applied in that case. Moreover, the D.C. Circuit has since rejected selective waiver of work-product protection in other circumstances, as discussed below. 49