Opinion ID: 1295060
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: production of and testimony concerning adamses' statements to insurance adjuster

Text: An insurance investigator and adjuster, G.D. Anderson, was served at appellants' request with a subpoena duces tecum ordering production of certain material received during his investigation of the accident. No copy of the subpoena is in the record, but apparently its coverage included all written transcriptions of statements made to him by parties or witnesses to the accident. In this regard, appellants' attorney told the court: We intend to call this man and ask him what statements he took and what he received. In the first place, we know he took statements from our clients which we have never been allowed to see. He took statements also from Gordon and Marine Adams and he took pictures and investigated as an expert investigator in this typ et hing. It appears from briefs and oral argument on this appeal that the basic reason prompting appellants' attorney's request for Anderson's papers was a belief that among them were statements by the Adamses which may have contained remarks concerning the horn honking incident. Such remarks, if they existed, might of course have served to impeach trial testimony by the Adamses. But although appellants' counsel had taken the depositions of both Adamses, he did not know, for all that appears, the pertinent contents of the statements they had made to Anderson, nor even whether such statements contained references to the horn honking incident. The attorney said: I don't know either [sic] what he [Anderson] is going to say. I have never talked to him. Upon discussion by counsel and the court in the absence of the jury, it developed that respondents' attorney apparently possessed whatever statements Anderson had taken. Appellants' attorney then asked the court to order respondents' attorney to produce the statements. The court refused and upon motion quashed the subpoena duces tecum. Likewise, the court refused any introduction of the statements. Appellants claim the court erred in both rulings. On the facts just summarized, we hold that the court did not commit reversible error either by quashing the subpoena or by refusing to permit testimony concerning the contents of the supposed statements made by Adamses to Anderson. If appellants' attorney had determined before trial that the statements of Adamses taken by Anderson did contain language relevant to the alleged horn honking incident, and if he had so informed the court, it would have been erroneous for the court not to have at least studied the documents to see if they had such references. And if they did, production of the relevant parts would be required. However, appellants' attorney's blanket request in the present action was not sufficient to make such production mandatory. The Adamses statements, assuming such exist, are not before this Court and so we are unable even to determine if the statements do contain pertinent matter. The district judge did not expressly rely on the reasoning just stated to support his refusal to compel production of the Adamses' statements or to admit testimony concerning their contents. Rather, he supported the ruling by his interpretation of Idaho R.Civ.P. 26(b). This reliance was misplaced (as will be discussed immediately following) but, as has just been explained, the ruling was nonetheless correct and it will not be disturbed merely because the court offered a wrong reason to support it. [14] Again because of the importance of the subject, we find it worthwhile to discuss the erroneous reason offered for the exclusionary ruling on Adamses' statements. Idaho R.Civ.P. 26 concerns Depositions pending action (26 [a]) and provides in part (26 [b]): The deponent shall not be required to produce or submit for inspection any writing, obtained or prepared by the adverse party, his attorney, surety, indemnitor, or agent in anticipation of litigation and in preparation for trial unless the court otherwise order on the ground that a denial of production or inspection will result in an injustice or undue hardship. The court reasoned from this rule that You cannot do indirectly by subpoena duces tecum in a trial that which the statute s prohibits you from doing in pretrial discovery. In the present action we find it unnecessary to enter a full scale discussion of Idaho R.Civ.P. 26(b). We appreciate the thorough discussion of this subject contained, understandably in light of the district court's remarks, in the briefs but we do not think this action is the place to resolve such arguments. Nevertheless, a few observations are in order. Earlier in this part (III) of the opinion, we discussed the relation between discovery work and the right to insist upon production of evidence at trial. In that discussion we said that had appellants' counsel through discovery constructed a correct foundation, the court would have been required to accede in substance to appellants' demands for production of certain evidence. Somewhat similarly, Idaho R.Civ.P. 26(b) provides for production or inspection during the discovery process, of otherwise privileged writings upon a proper showing that denial will result in an injustice or undue hardship. On the present record we cannot  nor need we  determine if the statements obtained by Anderson were taken in anticipation of litigation and in preparation for trial. On that question we express no opinion. However, during the discovery process, had appellants' counsel determined that the Adamses were denying their alleged remarks about the horn honking incident counsel could have presented these facts to the court. And upon such a showing the court would have abused its discretion if it refused to order production or inspection (though qualified by whatever precautions necessary to protect the insurer's legitimate interests) on grounds of injustice or undue hardship. Judgment affirmed. Costs to respondents. TAYLOR and SPEAR, JJ., concur. SMITH, C.J., and McFADDEN, J., concur in the conclusion.