Opinion ID: 1442149
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Pre-Trial Orders

Text: Finally, Quality takes exception to three orders issued by the court prior to trial. [11] (a) Order of June 20, 1975. On this date, the trial court denied Quality's motion to amend its declaration a second time. It is, of course, well settled that amendments should be freely allowed to serve the ends of justice. Dart Drug v. Hechinger Co., 272 Md. 15, 320 A.2d 266 (1974). In particular, given the typically extensive discovery in antitrust cases, it will often be appropriate for amendments to be allowed long after the filing of the initial pleading. Castlegate, Inc. v. National Tea Co., 34 F.R.D. 221 (D. Colo. 1963). In the instant case, no reason was given for the trial court's denial of leave to amend. However, at the time Quality filed its motion, trial was scheduled to commence within three weeks, and we assume this to be the basis of the trial court's ruling. Since Quality will have adequate opportunity on remand to file a timely amendment to its declaration before the new trial commences, we need not determine whether the trial court abused its discretion in denying Quality leave to amend. (b) Order of December 7, 1976. On this date, the trial court denied Quality's motion to compel answers to the following interrogatory directed to Firestone: List all the legal actions instituted or threatened against Firestone by former or present dealers of Firestone since January 1, 1970.... The trial court concluded that the Interrogatories as stated are too broad. We agree. An interrogatory framed by Quality which limited its focus to antitrust actions in which Firestone was involved might have been appropriate. As was stated in Southside Drive-In Company v. Warner Bros. Distributing Corp., 30 F.R.D. 32, 35 (E.D. Pa. 1962): Defendants argue that the only parts of their actions which are relevant are those which are directed at plaintiff. Obviously defendants' actions vis-a-vis plaintiff are of immediate concern, but such actions will have to be evaluated and that cannot be done in a vacuum. Defendants' actions will have to be characterized, at some stage of the proceedings, either as a reasonable business practice or conspiratorial discrimination, and such characterization would be impossible under the narrow context urged by defendants. Here, however, Quality's interrogatory concerned all legal actions in which Firestone was involved, thus including, for example, ordinary tort claims, breach of warranty actions, and suits to recover indebtedness, which matters are irrelevant to this case. (c) Order of January 24, 1977. Quality finally objects to an order in limine, restricting Quality from introducing proof of certain issues. However, the order limited Quality to proof of the issues as framed in its declaration and was, therefore, entirely proper. Judgment reversed and case remanded to the Circuit Court for Baltimore County for further proceedings not inconsistent with this opinion. Respondent to pay costs.