DISCOVERY TRAPS… & HOW TO GET OUT OF THEM

DISCOVERY TRAPS¡­

& HOW TO GET OUT OF THEM

KRISTAL C. THOMSON

WILSON, PENNYPACKER & THOMSON, L.L.P.

8620 N. New Braunfels, Suite 101

San Antonio, Texas 78217

37

TH

State Bar of Texas

ANNUAL ADVANCED FAMILY LAW COURSE

August 1-4, 2011

San Antonio

CHAPTER 19

Kristal Cordova Thomson

WILSON, PENNYPACKER & THOMSON, L.L.P.

8620 N. New Braunfels, Suite 101

San Antonio, Texas 78217

210.826.4001

kthomson@

LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS:

State Bar of Texas; 2002

United States District Courts, Western District; 2003

Board Certified ¨C Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization; 2009

EDUCATION:

Juris Doctorate, St. Mary¡¯s University School of Law; 2002

Bachelor of Arts, University of Texas; 1995

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL

ACTIVITIES:

Director, St. Mary¡¯s Law Alumni Association

*Elected, 2005 ¨C 2010 * Former Treasurer & Secretary

Council Member Class of 2014, Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas

* Elected, 2009 *Web Site Chair *Amicus Committee

Treasurer, San Antonio Family Lawyers Association

* Elected 2010-2011

COMMUNITY/NON-PROFIT

ACTIVITIES:

Board of Directors, Special Olympics Texas; 2009-2011

Appointed Committee Member, Alamo Bowl; 2005-2011

Volunteer, Junior League San Antonio; 2004-2011

Volunteer, Community Justice Program; 2003-2011

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS: Member, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists; since 2010

Member, San Antonio Bar Association; since 2002

* Former Board Member, 2008-2010

Member, San Antonio Young Lawyers Association; since 2002

* Former President, 2005-2006

Member, Bexar County Women¡¯s Bar Association; since 2002

* Vice President, 2009 * Board of Directors, 2004-2009 * Bench Brunch Chair, 2006

Fellow, San Antonio Bar Foundation; since 2006

Member, College of the State Bar of Texas; since 2003

Member, State Bar of Texas & Family Law Section; since 2002

Member, American Bar Association & Family Law Section; since 2002

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS:

2007 Belva Lockwood Outstanding Young Lawyer

2006 Outstanding Young Lawyer of San Antonio

2006 through 2011 ¨C ¡°Rising Star¡± ¨C Texas Monthly

2006 through 2009 ¨C ¡°Best Lawyer, Family Law¡± ¨C Scene in S.A. Monthly

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

& LECTURES:

Speaker & Author, Electronic Discovery in the Age of Honza & Weekley,

Marriage Dissolution, State Bar of Texas; 2010

Speaker & Author, Narrowing the Issues, Ultimate Trial Notebook,

State Bar of Texas; 2009

Speaker & Author, Interim Orders, Advanced Family Law Drafting,

State Bar of Texas; 2008

Speaker & Author, Attorney¡¯s Fees & Billing, State Bar College

Summer School, State Bar of Texas; 2008

Discovery Traps¡­ & How to Get Out of Them

Chapter 19

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 1

II.

TRAP: FORMBOOK DISCOVERY REQUESTS & FORMBOOK OBJECTIONS .......................................... 1

A.

Formbook Requests .................................................................................................................................... 1

B.

Objections .................................................................................................................................................. 1

III.

HOW TO GET OUT OF THE ¡°FORM-ITIS¡± TRAP .......................................................................................... 2

A.

Objections .................................................................................................................................................. 2

B.

Handling Formbook Requests .................................................................................................................... 2

C.

The Only True Formbook Discovery ¨C Rule 194 Request for Disclosure ................................................. 3

IV.

TRAP: DETERMINING WHERE AND WHAT TO PRODUCE....................................................................... 3

V.

DETERMINING WHERE AND WHAT TO PRODUCE ................................................................................... 4

A.

What to Produce ......................................................................................................................................... 4

B.

Where to Produce ....................................................................................................................................... 4

VI.

TRAP: INTERROGATORRIES ¨C SUBJECT MATTER AND SUBPARTS ..................................................... 5

VII. ASKING AND ANSWERING INTERROGATORIES INCLUDING ¡°SUBPARTS¡± ....................................... 5

VIII. TRAP: AUTHENTICATION OF DISCOVERY DOCUMENTS ...................................................................... 5

IX.

IS THE DOCUMENT AUTHENTIC? ................................................................................................................. 6

X.

TRAP: REQUESTING THE COMPUTER ......................................................................................................... 6

XI.

HOW TO REQUEST INFORMATION FROM A PARTY¡¯S COMPUTER ...................................................... 6

XII. BRIEF ETHICS LECTURE ................................................................................................................................. 7

XIII. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................... 7

APPENDIX A ................................................................................................................................................................. 8

Summary of Cases ................................................................................................................................................ 8

APPEDIX B .................................................................................................................................................................. 18

Relevant Statutes ................................................................................................................................................ 18

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