Opinion ID: 1359492
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Attorney Work-Product Claim

Text: Petitioners assert that the attorney work-product doctrine is applicable, because Real Parties have failed to show that the information they need is not otherwise available. We agree in part. The attorney work-product doctrine does not apply to all the documents at issue. NRCP 26(b)(3) provides: [A] party may obtain discovery of documents ... discoverable under subdivision (b) (1) of this rule [can request relevant and unprivileged documents] and prepared in anticipation of trial ... only upon a showing that the party seeking discovery has substantial need of the materials in the preparation of the case and that he is unable without undue hardship to obtain the substantial equivalent by other means. Additionally, the doctrine also protects an attorney's mental impressions, conclusions, or legal theories concerning the litigation, as reflected in memoranda, correspondence, interviews, briefs, or in other tangible and intangible ways. See Hickman v. Taylor, 329 U.S. 495, 510-11 (1947); NRCP 26 (b)(3). Therefore, the Association minutes of the unprivileged nature discussed above that are at issue in the present case are not protected by the doctrine, because they were not prepared in anticipation of trial and do not constitute the mental impressions of the attorneys in question. The mere presence of the attorneys at these meetings does not make the minutes privileged and therefore protected by the work-product doctrine. However, the legal files and the deposition of Lattin do fall under the doctrine to the extent that either source of discovery reflects the mental impressions, conclusions, opinions, or legal theories of the attorneys. It is thus clear that no blanket right to the legal files and unbridled depositional testimony of attorney Lattin exists. Obviously, if the legal files contain nonwork product documents relevant to the issue of the statute of limitations, those documents must be made available to the Real Parties. In the event the parties are unable to agree on the voluntary delivery of such documents, if any, or the nature of such documents, the district court should issue an order for the court's in camera inspection of the legal files. Attorney Lattin's deposition may also be taken with the understanding that his mental impressions, conclusions, legal theories and opinions are not discoverable. However, facts known to Lattin regarding matters relevant to the issue of the statute of limitations, even if communicated to him by his clients, are discoverable under the anticipatory waiver doctrine. It is clear that petitioners will not be able to prevail at trial without demonstrating a factual basis for avoiding the bar of the statute of limitations. Petitioners have interjected the statute of limitations in their action, and fairness dictates that Real Parties have access to relevant facts pertaining to that issue. Our ruling concerning limited discovery relating to the legal files and attorney Lattin's deposition is subject to a condition not reflected in the record before us. In order to overcome the work-product obstacle with respect to documents and tangible things prepared in anticipation of litigation or trial, Real Parties would have to demonstrate a substantial need and undue hardship, burdens they have not satisfied. Real Parties have asserted that information in this latter category is relevant, important and needed. However, since substantial need for the information is an element necessary to circumvent the doctrine, Real Parties must demonstrate that such a need exists. A mere assertion of the need will not suffice. Additionally, the relevancy of the information is also an important consideration. However, parties seeking to circumvent the doctrine must also show that they cannot obtain the documents or tangible evidence, or the substantial equivalent thereof, without undue hardship. NRCP 26(b)(3). The burden of showing undue hardship rests with the party seeking to discover the information. See, e.g., NRCP 26(b)(3); see also Admiral Ins. v. United States Dist. Court For Dist. of Ariz., 881 F.2d 1486, 1494 (9th Cir.1989). Real Parties have not demonstrated that the work-product evidence they seek in the legal files, or from Lattin's deposition cannot be obtained from other sources. Moreover, approximately seventy-four original homeowners still own condominiums at Wildcreek Gardens, and these seventy-four may very well possess the evidence Real Parties seek. Real Parties have not attempted to depose these individuals. See Arney v. Geo. A. Hormel & Co., 53 F.R.D. 179, 181 (D. Minn. 1971) (FRCP 26(b)(3) showing not satisfied where party seeking discovery had not attempted to take depositions of relevant persons). Real Parties are also free to attempt to locate former homeowners in an effort to determine their knowledge. Real Parties have not undertaken any of these discovery measures. Therefore, we conclude that Real Parties have not shown undue hardship regarding the legal files and Lattin's deposition insofar as they seek discovery regarding documents and tangible things prepared in anticipation of litigation or trial. Thus, these areas of discovery are protected by the attorney work-product doctrine.