Opinion ID: 779633
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Protective Order and Discovery Request

Text: 26 Even though the district court concluded on May 22, 2000, that Iran did not exercise sufficient control over BSI to overcome the Bancec presumption, the court allowed the parties to pursue discovery on the matter until July 31, 2000. The sole subject of discovery was: whether the Islamic Republic of Iran exerts sufficient control over BSI for the bank's assets to be attached in satisfaction of the judgment against Iran. 27 On June 22, 2000, Flatow submitted two motions for the district court to issue a Request for International Judicial Assistance pursuant to the Hague Convention on the Taking of Evidence Abroad. 19 Flatow sought to depose Abolhassan Bani Sadr, who was president of Iran from 1979 to 1981 and now resides in France, and Ahmad Behbahani, who represents himself to be the former director of terrorist operations for Iran and now lives in Turkey. BSI opposed the motions and sought a protective order from the court to prohibit the depositions on the ground that they would be an undue burden on and expense for BSI, and because neither Bani Sadr nor Behbahani is competent to testify regarding the subject of discovery. 28 The district court granted BSI's protective order and denied Flatow's request for international assistance in deposing the former Iranian leaders. The court first concluded that the burden and expense of obtaining discovery outweighed Flatow's interest in deposing Bani Sadr, who the district court found has no first-hand knowledge of whether Iran exerts day-to-day control over BSI. Bani Sadr has been exiled from Iran since 1981 and has never been a director or officer of BSI. Secondly, the court explained that Flatow's efforts to depose Behbahani are prohibited by his failure to demonstrate that Turkey, where Behbahani resides, has signed the Hague Convention. Additionally, the information Flatow sought to obtain from Behbahani was outside the scope of the sole issue of discovery. Flatow objects to both of these determinations and makes essentially the same arguments to this court that he made to the district court. 29 We affirm the district court's decision to grant a protective order under Fed. R.Civ.P. 26(c) that the depositions of Bani Sadr and Behbahani may not proceed. Under that provision, the district court may grant a protective order for good cause shown, see Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(c). In reaching this decision, the court has extensive control over the discovery process. United States v. Columbia Broad. Sys., Inc., 666 F.2d 364, 369 (9th Cir.1982). Flatow has failed to demonstrate that either of these individuals is remotely competent to testify regarding whether the Islamic Republic of Iran exerts sufficient control over BSI for the bank's assets to be attached in satisfaction of his judgment against Iran.