Court Opinion

ID: 9759554
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 00:19:49.023835+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:29:02.568776
License: Public Domain

GONZALEZ, Justice,
dissenting.
I join Justice Hecht’s dissenting opinion except his discussion of Flores v. Fourth Court of Appeals, 111 S.W.2d 38 (Tex.1989). The two-prong test of Flores is not used in any other jurisdiction that has interpreted the phrase “anticipation of litigation” and the test has proved unworkable.1
*448The test adopted by virtually every other court considering this question inquires only whether the investigation was in fact done for the purpose of preparing for potential litigation.2 The investigatory privileges are intended to promote the adversarial process by encouraging full investigation of the underlying facts. The privileges should therefore apply whenever an investigation is in fact done to prepare for potential litigation.
Flores has been criticized because it “ignores the realities of preparation for the contingency of litigation” by denying protection to early and routine preparation. Alex A. Albright, The Texas Discovery Privileges: A Fool’s Game?, 70 Texas L.Rev. 781, 813 (1992). Rather than attempting to salvage Flores’ two-prong test through continued modification and explanation, I would overrule it and bring Texas in line with the overwhelming majority of other jurisdictions that have addressed this issue.

. For example, some courts have held that retention of an attorney or private investigator is an outward manifestation which indicates that litigation is imminent. Boring & Tunneling Co. of America, Inc. v. Salazar, 782 S.W.2d 284, 287 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1989, orig. proceeding): Mole v. Millard, 762 S.W.2d 251, 255 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1988, orig. proceeding): Enterprise Prod. Co. v. Sanderson, 759 S.W.2d 174, 179 (Tex.App.—Beaumont 1988, orig. proceeding); Foster v. Heard, 757 S.W.2d 464, 465 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1988, orig. proceeding); H.E. Butt Grocery Co. v. Williams, 751 S.W.2d 554, 556 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1988, orig. proceeding); Phelps Dodge Ref. Corp. v. Marsh, 733 S.W.2d 359, 361 (Tex.App.—El Paso, 1987) (orig. proceeding)). Others have not. Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. v. Heard, 774 S.W.2d 316, 318 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 1989, orig. proceeding); Morris v. *448TEIA, 759 S.W.2d 14, 15 (Tex.App.—Corpus Christi 1988, writ denied). See also Flores, 777 S.W.2d 38, 44 (Gonzalez J., dissenting).

. See, e.g., Binks Mfg. v. National Presto Indust., Inc., 709 F.2d 1109, 1120 (7th Cir.1983); United States v. El Paso Co., 682 F.2d 530, 542 (5th Cir.1982), cert. denied, 466 U.S. 944, 104 S.Ct. 1927, 80 L.Ed.2d 473 (1984); In re Grand Jury Proceedings, 604 F.2d 798, 803 (3rd Cir.1979); Diversified Indust., Inc. v. Meredith, 572 F.2d 596, 604 (8th Cir.1977); State ex rel. Corbin v. Weaver, 140 Ariz. 123, 680 P.2d 833, 839 (App. 1984); Hawkins v. District Court, 638 P.2d 1372, 1379 (Colo.1982) (en banc); Mullins v. Vakili, 506 A.2d 192, 197-198 (Del.Super.1986); American Bldgs. v. Kokomo Grain Co., 506 N.E.2d 56, 62-63 (Ind.App.1987); Ashmead v. Harris, 336 N.W.2d 197, 200 (Iowa 1983); Kaarup v. St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co., 436 N.W.2d 17, 21 (S.D.1989). See also 8 Wright and Miller, Federal Practice and Procedure, § 2024 at 198 (1970) ("[T]he test should be whether, in light of the nature of the document and the factual situation in the particular case, the document can fairly be said to have been prepared or obtained because of the prospect of litigation.”).