State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Cvp > Article-31 > 3101

§  3101.  Scope  of  disclosure.  (a)  Generally.  There shall be full  disclosure of all matter material and necessary in  the  prosecution  or  defense of an action, regardless of the burden of proof, by:    (1)  a party, or the officer, director, member, agent or employee of a  party;    (2) a person who possessed a cause of action or  defense  asserted  in  the action;    (3)  a person about to depart from the state, or without the state, or  residing at a greater distance from the place of trial than one  hundred  miles,  or  so  sick or infirm as to afford reasonable grounds of belief  that he or she will not be  able  to  attend  the  trial,  or  a  person  authorized  to practice medicine, dentistry or podiatry who has provided  medical, dental or podiatric care or diagnosis to  the  party  demanding  disclosure, or who has been retained by such party as an expert witness;  and    (4) any other person, upon notice stating the circumstances or reasons  such disclosure is sought or required.    (b)  Privileged  matter. Upon objection by a person entitled to assert  the privilege, privileged matter shall not be obtainable.    (c) Attorney's work product. The work product of an attorney shall not  be obtainable.    (d) Trial preparation.    1. Experts. (i) Upon request, each party shall  identify  each  person  whom  the  party expects to call as an expert witness at trial and shall  disclose in reasonable detail the subject matter on which each expert is  expected to testify, the substance of the facts and  opinions  on  which  each  expert  is  expected to testify, the qualifications of each expert  witness and a summary of the grounds for each expert's opinion. However,  where a party for good cause shown retains  an  expert  an  insufficient  period  of  time  before  the  commencement of trial to give appropriate  notice  thereof,  the  party  shall  not  thereupon  be  precluded  from  introducing  the  expert's  testimony  at the trial solely on grounds of  noncompliance with this paragraph. In that instance, upon motion of  any  party,  made before or at trial, or on its own initiative, the court may  make whatever order may be just. In an action  for  medical,  dental  or  podiatric malpractice, a party, in responding to a request, may omit the  names  of  medical, dental or podiatric experts but shall be required to  disclose  all  other  information  concerning  such  experts   otherwise  required by this paragraph.    (ii)  In  an  action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice, any  party may, by written offer made to and served upon  all  other  parties  and  filed  with  the  court, offer to disclose the name of, and to make  available for examination upon oral deposition,  any  person  the  party  making  the  offer expects to call as an expert witness at trial. Within  twenty days of service of the offer, a party shall accept or reject  the  offer  by  serving  a  written  reply upon all parties and filing a copy  thereof with the court. Failure to serve a reply within twenty  days  of  service  of  the  offer shall be deemed a rejection of the offer. If all  parties accept the offer, each party shall be required to produce his or  her expert witness for examination upon oral deposition upon receipt  of  a  notice  to  take  oral  deposition in accordance with rule thirty-one  hundred seven of this chapter. If any party, having made or accepted the  offer, fails to make that party's expert available for oral  deposition,  that  party  shall  be  precluded  from offering expert testimony at the  trial of the action.    (iii) Further disclosure concerning  the  expected  testimony  of  any  expert  may  be  obtained  only by court order upon a showing of special  circumstances and subject to restrictions as  to  scope  and  provisionsconcerning fees and expenses as the court may deem appropriate. However,  a  party,  without  court  order,  may  take  the  testimony of a person  authorized to practice  medicine,  dentistry  or  podiatry  who  is  the  party's  treating or retained expert, as described in paragraph three of  subdivision (a) of this section, in which event any other party shall be  entitled to the full disclosure authorized by this article with  respect  to that expert without court order.    2.  Materials.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of paragraph one of this  subdivision, materials otherwise discoverable under subdivision  (a)  of  this  section and prepared in anticipation of litigation or for trial by  or for another party, or by or for  that  other  party's  representative  (including  an  attorney,  consultant,  surety,  indemnitor,  insurer or  agent), may be obtained only upon  a  showing  that  the  party  seeking  discovery  has  substantial  need of the materials in the preparation of  the case and is unable without undue hardship to obtain the  substantial  equivalent of the materials by other means. In ordering discovery of the  materials  when  the  required  showing  has  been made, the court shall  protect against  disclosure  of  the  mental  impressions,  conclusions,  opinions  or  legal theories of an attorney or other representative of a  party concerning the litigation.    (e) Party's statement. A party may obtain a copy of his own statement.    (f) Contents of insurance agreement. A party may obtain  discovery  of  the  existence  and  contents of any insurance agreement under which any  person carrying on an insurance business may be liable to  satisfy  part  or  all of a judgment which may be entered in the action or to indemnify  or reimburse for payments made  to  satisfy  the  judgment.  Information  concerning  the  insurance  agreement  is  not  by  reason of disclosure  admissible in evidence at trial. For purpose  of  this  subdivision,  an  application  for  insurance shall not be treated as part of an insurance  agreement.    (g) Accident reports. Except as  is  otherwise  provided  by  law,  in  addition  to  any other matter which may be subject to disclosure, there  shall be full disclosure of any written report of an  accident  prepared  in the regular course of business operations or practices of any person,  firm, corporation, association or other public or private entity, unless  prepared  by  a  police or peace officer for a criminal investigation or  prosecution and disclosure would interfere with a criminal investigation  or prosecution.    (h) Amendment or supplementation of responses. A party shall amend  or  supplement  a  response  previously  given  to  a request for disclosure  promptly upon the party's  thereafter  obtaining  information  that  the  response  was  incorrect  or incomplete when made, or that the response,  though correct  and  complete  when  made,  no  longer  is  correct  and  complete,  and  the  circumstances  are  such that a failure to amend or  supplement the response would be materially misleading.  Where  a  party  obtains  such  information  an  insufficient  period  of time before the  commencement of trial appropriately to amend or supplement the response,  the party shall not thereupon be precluded from introducing evidence  at  the  trial  solely on grounds of noncompliance with this subdivision. In  that instance, upon motion of any party, made before or at trial, or  on  its  own  initiative,  the  court  may  make whatever order may be just.  Further amendment or supplementation may be obtained by court order.    (i)  In  addition  to  any  other  matter  which  may  be  subject  to  disclosure,  there  shall  be full disclosure of any films, photographs,  video tapes or audio tapes, including transcripts or memoranda  thereof,  involving  a  person  referred to in paragraph one of subdivision (a) of  this section.  There  shall  be  disclosure  of  all  portions  of  such  material,  including  out-takes, rather than only those portions a partyintends to use. The provisions of this subdivision shall  not  apply  to  materials  compiled  for  law enforcement purposes which are exempt from  disclosure under section eighty-seven of the public officers law.

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Cvp > Article-31 > 3101

§  3101.  Scope  of  disclosure.  (a)  Generally.  There shall be full  disclosure of all matter material and necessary in  the  prosecution  or  defense of an action, regardless of the burden of proof, by:    (1)  a party, or the officer, director, member, agent or employee of a  party;    (2) a person who possessed a cause of action or  defense  asserted  in  the action;    (3)  a person about to depart from the state, or without the state, or  residing at a greater distance from the place of trial than one  hundred  miles,  or  so  sick or infirm as to afford reasonable grounds of belief  that he or she will not be  able  to  attend  the  trial,  or  a  person  authorized  to practice medicine, dentistry or podiatry who has provided  medical, dental or podiatric care or diagnosis to  the  party  demanding  disclosure, or who has been retained by such party as an expert witness;  and    (4) any other person, upon notice stating the circumstances or reasons  such disclosure is sought or required.    (b)  Privileged  matter. Upon objection by a person entitled to assert  the privilege, privileged matter shall not be obtainable.    (c) Attorney's work product. The work product of an attorney shall not  be obtainable.    (d) Trial preparation.    1. Experts. (i) Upon request, each party shall  identify  each  person  whom  the  party expects to call as an expert witness at trial and shall  disclose in reasonable detail the subject matter on which each expert is  expected to testify, the substance of the facts and  opinions  on  which  each  expert  is  expected to testify, the qualifications of each expert  witness and a summary of the grounds for each expert's opinion. However,  where a party for good cause shown retains  an  expert  an  insufficient  period  of  time  before  the  commencement of trial to give appropriate  notice  thereof,  the  party  shall  not  thereupon  be  precluded  from  introducing  the  expert's  testimony  at the trial solely on grounds of  noncompliance with this paragraph. In that instance, upon motion of  any  party,  made before or at trial, or on its own initiative, the court may  make whatever order may be just. In an action  for  medical,  dental  or  podiatric malpractice, a party, in responding to a request, may omit the  names  of  medical, dental or podiatric experts but shall be required to  disclose  all  other  information  concerning  such  experts   otherwise  required by this paragraph.    (ii)  In  an  action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice, any  party may, by written offer made to and served upon  all  other  parties  and  filed  with  the  court, offer to disclose the name of, and to make  available for examination upon oral deposition,  any  person  the  party  making  the  offer expects to call as an expert witness at trial. Within  twenty days of service of the offer, a party shall accept or reject  the  offer  by  serving  a  written  reply upon all parties and filing a copy  thereof with the court. Failure to serve a reply within twenty  days  of  service  of  the  offer shall be deemed a rejection of the offer. If all  parties accept the offer, each party shall be required to produce his or  her expert witness for examination upon oral deposition upon receipt  of  a  notice  to  take  oral  deposition in accordance with rule thirty-one  hundred seven of this chapter. If any party, having made or accepted the  offer, fails to make that party's expert available for oral  deposition,  that  party  shall  be  precluded  from offering expert testimony at the  trial of the action.    (iii) Further disclosure concerning  the  expected  testimony  of  any  expert  may  be  obtained  only by court order upon a showing of special  circumstances and subject to restrictions as  to  scope  and  provisionsconcerning fees and expenses as the court may deem appropriate. However,  a  party,  without  court  order,  may  take  the  testimony of a person  authorized to practice  medicine,  dentistry  or  podiatry  who  is  the  party's  treating or retained expert, as described in paragraph three of  subdivision (a) of this section, in which event any other party shall be  entitled to the full disclosure authorized by this article with  respect  to that expert without court order.    2.  Materials.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of paragraph one of this  subdivision, materials otherwise discoverable under subdivision  (a)  of  this  section and prepared in anticipation of litigation or for trial by  or for another party, or by or for  that  other  party's  representative  (including  an  attorney,  consultant,  surety,  indemnitor,  insurer or  agent), may be obtained only upon  a  showing  that  the  party  seeking  discovery  has  substantial  need of the materials in the preparation of  the case and is unable without undue hardship to obtain the  substantial  equivalent of the materials by other means. In ordering discovery of the  materials  when  the  required  showing  has  been made, the court shall  protect against  disclosure  of  the  mental  impressions,  conclusions,  opinions  or  legal theories of an attorney or other representative of a  party concerning the litigation.    (e) Party's statement. A party may obtain a copy of his own statement.    (f) Contents of insurance agreement. A party may obtain  discovery  of  the  existence  and  contents of any insurance agreement under which any  person carrying on an insurance business may be liable to  satisfy  part  or  all of a judgment which may be entered in the action or to indemnify  or reimburse for payments made  to  satisfy  the  judgment.  Information  concerning  the  insurance  agreement  is  not  by  reason of disclosure  admissible in evidence at trial. For purpose  of  this  subdivision,  an  application  for  insurance shall not be treated as part of an insurance  agreement.    (g) Accident reports. Except as  is  otherwise  provided  by  law,  in  addition  to  any other matter which may be subject to disclosure, there  shall be full disclosure of any written report of an  accident  prepared  in the regular course of business operations or practices of any person,  firm, corporation, association or other public or private entity, unless  prepared  by  a  police or peace officer for a criminal investigation or  prosecution and disclosure would interfere with a criminal investigation  or prosecution.    (h) Amendment or supplementation of responses. A party shall amend  or  supplement  a  response  previously  given  to  a request for disclosure  promptly upon the party's  thereafter  obtaining  information  that  the  response  was  incorrect  or incomplete when made, or that the response,  though correct  and  complete  when  made,  no  longer  is  correct  and  complete,  and  the  circumstances  are  such that a failure to amend or  supplement the response would be materially misleading.  Where  a  party  obtains  such  information  an  insufficient  period  of time before the  commencement of trial appropriately to amend or supplement the response,  the party shall not thereupon be precluded from introducing evidence  at  the  trial  solely on grounds of noncompliance with this subdivision. In  that instance, upon motion of any party, made before or at trial, or  on  its  own  initiative,  the  court  may  make whatever order may be just.  Further amendment or supplementation may be obtained by court order.    (i)  In  addition  to  any  other  matter  which  may  be  subject  to  disclosure,  there  shall  be full disclosure of any films, photographs,  video tapes or audio tapes, including transcripts or memoranda  thereof,  involving  a  person  referred to in paragraph one of subdivision (a) of  this section.  There  shall  be  disclosure  of  all  portions  of  such  material,  including  out-takes, rather than only those portions a partyintends to use. The provisions of this subdivision shall  not  apply  to  materials  compiled  for  law enforcement purposes which are exempt from  disclosure under section eighty-seven of the public officers law.

State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Cvp > Article-31 > 3101

§  3101.  Scope  of  disclosure.  (a)  Generally.  There shall be full  disclosure of all matter material and necessary in  the  prosecution  or  defense of an action, regardless of the burden of proof, by:    (1)  a party, or the officer, director, member, agent or employee of a  party;    (2) a person who possessed a cause of action or  defense  asserted  in  the action;    (3)  a person about to depart from the state, or without the state, or  residing at a greater distance from the place of trial than one  hundred  miles,  or  so  sick or infirm as to afford reasonable grounds of belief  that he or she will not be  able  to  attend  the  trial,  or  a  person  authorized  to practice medicine, dentistry or podiatry who has provided  medical, dental or podiatric care or diagnosis to  the  party  demanding  disclosure, or who has been retained by such party as an expert witness;  and    (4) any other person, upon notice stating the circumstances or reasons  such disclosure is sought or required.    (b)  Privileged  matter. Upon objection by a person entitled to assert  the privilege, privileged matter shall not be obtainable.    (c) Attorney's work product. The work product of an attorney shall not  be obtainable.    (d) Trial preparation.    1. Experts. (i) Upon request, each party shall  identify  each  person  whom  the  party expects to call as an expert witness at trial and shall  disclose in reasonable detail the subject matter on which each expert is  expected to testify, the substance of the facts and  opinions  on  which  each  expert  is  expected to testify, the qualifications of each expert  witness and a summary of the grounds for each expert's opinion. However,  where a party for good cause shown retains  an  expert  an  insufficient  period  of  time  before  the  commencement of trial to give appropriate  notice  thereof,  the  party  shall  not  thereupon  be  precluded  from  introducing  the  expert's  testimony  at the trial solely on grounds of  noncompliance with this paragraph. In that instance, upon motion of  any  party,  made before or at trial, or on its own initiative, the court may  make whatever order may be just. In an action  for  medical,  dental  or  podiatric malpractice, a party, in responding to a request, may omit the  names  of  medical, dental or podiatric experts but shall be required to  disclose  all  other  information  concerning  such  experts   otherwise  required by this paragraph.    (ii)  In  an  action for medical, dental or podiatric malpractice, any  party may, by written offer made to and served upon  all  other  parties  and  filed  with  the  court, offer to disclose the name of, and to make  available for examination upon oral deposition,  any  person  the  party  making  the  offer expects to call as an expert witness at trial. Within  twenty days of service of the offer, a party shall accept or reject  the  offer  by  serving  a  written  reply upon all parties and filing a copy  thereof with the court. Failure to serve a reply within twenty  days  of  service  of  the  offer shall be deemed a rejection of the offer. If all  parties accept the offer, each party shall be required to produce his or  her expert witness for examination upon oral deposition upon receipt  of  a  notice  to  take  oral  deposition in accordance with rule thirty-one  hundred seven of this chapter. If any party, having made or accepted the  offer, fails to make that party's expert available for oral  deposition,  that  party  shall  be  precluded  from offering expert testimony at the  trial of the action.    (iii) Further disclosure concerning  the  expected  testimony  of  any  expert  may  be  obtained  only by court order upon a showing of special  circumstances and subject to restrictions as  to  scope  and  provisionsconcerning fees and expenses as the court may deem appropriate. However,  a  party,  without  court  order,  may  take  the  testimony of a person  authorized to practice  medicine,  dentistry  or  podiatry  who  is  the  party's  treating or retained expert, as described in paragraph three of  subdivision (a) of this section, in which event any other party shall be  entitled to the full disclosure authorized by this article with  respect  to that expert without court order.    2.  Materials.  Subject  to  the  provisions  of paragraph one of this  subdivision, materials otherwise discoverable under subdivision  (a)  of  this  section and prepared in anticipation of litigation or for trial by  or for another party, or by or for  that  other  party's  representative  (including  an  attorney,  consultant,  surety,  indemnitor,  insurer or  agent), may be obtained only upon  a  showing  that  the  party  seeking  discovery  has  substantial  need of the materials in the preparation of  the case and is unable without undue hardship to obtain the  substantial  equivalent of the materials by other means. In ordering discovery of the  materials  when  the  required  showing  has  been made, the court shall  protect against  disclosure  of  the  mental  impressions,  conclusions,  opinions  or  legal theories of an attorney or other representative of a  party concerning the litigation.    (e) Party's statement. A party may obtain a copy of his own statement.    (f) Contents of insurance agreement. A party may obtain  discovery  of  the  existence  and  contents of any insurance agreement under which any  person carrying on an insurance business may be liable to  satisfy  part  or  all of a judgment which may be entered in the action or to indemnify  or reimburse for payments made  to  satisfy  the  judgment.  Information  concerning  the  insurance  agreement  is  not  by  reason of disclosure  admissible in evidence at trial. For purpose  of  this  subdivision,  an  application  for  insurance shall not be treated as part of an insurance  agreement.    (g) Accident reports. Except as  is  otherwise  provided  by  law,  in  addition  to  any other matter which may be subject to disclosure, there  shall be full disclosure of any written report of an  accident  prepared  in the regular course of business operations or practices of any person,  firm, corporation, association or other public or private entity, unless  prepared  by  a  police or peace officer for a criminal investigation or  prosecution and disclosure would interfere with a criminal investigation  or prosecution.    (h) Amendment or supplementation of responses. A party shall amend  or  supplement  a  response  previously  given  to  a request for disclosure  promptly upon the party's  thereafter  obtaining  information  that  the  response  was  incorrect  or incomplete when made, or that the response,  though correct  and  complete  when  made,  no  longer  is  correct  and  complete,  and  the  circumstances  are  such that a failure to amend or  supplement the response would be materially misleading.  Where  a  party  obtains  such  information  an  insufficient  period  of time before the  commencement of trial appropriately to amend or supplement the response,  the party shall not thereupon be precluded from introducing evidence  at  the  trial  solely on grounds of noncompliance with this subdivision. In  that instance, upon motion of any party, made before or at trial, or  on  its  own  initiative,  the  court  may  make whatever order may be just.  Further amendment or supplementation may be obtained by court order.    (i)  In  addition  to  any  other  matter  which  may  be  subject  to  disclosure,  there  shall  be full disclosure of any films, photographs,  video tapes or audio tapes, including transcripts or memoranda  thereof,  involving  a  person  referred to in paragraph one of subdivision (a) of  this section.  There  shall  be  disclosure  of  all  portions  of  such  material,  including  out-takes, rather than only those portions a partyintends to use. The provisions of this subdivision shall  not  apply  to  materials  compiled  for  law enforcement purposes which are exempt from  disclosure under section eighty-seven of the public officers law.