Court Opinion

ID: 9679328
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 06:49:31.590675+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:17:12.648804
License: Public Domain

DON WITTIG, Justice,
concurring.
I concur with the result reached by the majority. I only wish to point out more explicitly the assumed trial court error caused by the appellee’s failure to supplement discovery.
Clearly the defense of this malpractice case involved the time worn strategy of pointing the finger away from the named defendant toward a non-party, here Dr. Conte (aka the empty chair defense). The majority duly notes appellee’s failure to supplement the interrogatory inquiring whether the negligence of Magee or any other persons caused or contributed to the injury or damages. Appellee, after objecting, indicated discovery was ongoing and no determination had been made about other culpable parties. I would follow Tri-State v. Barrera, 917 S.W.2d 391 (Tex App-El Paso 1996) requiring supplementation even though an objection had been made. In Tri-State, the party objected to a discovery request under Lofton but nevertheless furnished part of the personnel records in question. The same party thereafter sought to introduce, over objection, additional undisclosed parts of the same personnel records. The Tri-State court upheld the trial courts exclusion of these additional unproduced records. Similarly, I would hold, that when a party indicates directly or indirectly, they have produced an item or will produce discovery, they have a duty to timely supplement, even when an objection has been lodged. Notwithstanding, as the majority noted, Dr. Conte’s name and involvement in the treatment was all over the medical records proffered into evidence by appellant. Therefore, the mention of Dr. Conte by appellee was merely cumulative.