Opinion ID: 755571
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Allow Discovery

Text: Krell alleges the district court deprived him of fundamental due process by denying him the opportunity to take necessary discovery. Krell Brief at 40-42. Krell contends additional discovery was essential because class counsel's own discovery was inadequate, and the district court's denial of Krell's requests for settlement and fee related discovery 78 resulted in an erroneous assessment of the fairness of the settlement. Krell complains his discovery attempts were hampered by the court order requiring all discovery requests be served on Prudential through Lead Counsel. According to Krell, Lead Counsel refused Krell's requests both prior and subsequent to signing the settlement agreement in September 1996, and excluded him from the free exchange of documents. Krell also requested cross-examination of affiants supporting the settlement, depositions from the named plaintiffs with respect to jurisdiction and adequacy of representation, and other document discovery. 79 Objectors are entitled to an opportunity to develop a record in support of [their] contentions by means of cross-examination and argument to the court. Greenfield v. Villager Indus., Inc., 483 F.2d 824, 833 (3d Cir.1973). There is no dispute Krell was given the opportunity to present his arguments to the court during the fairness hearing. In addition, the district court found Krell had ample opportunity to avail himself of the substantial discovery provided to Lead Counsel but failed to do so, and that additional discovery was unnecessary because Krell focused primarily on legal issues. Fairness Opinion, 962 F.Supp. at 563. We believe the district court acted well within its discretion here. Faced with the prospect of immense discovery requests, the district court attempted to exert some control over the discovery process. Krell cannot impute to the court his own failure to avail himself of the opportunity to review the discovery in this case.