On a refusals and undertakings motion in a civil action arising from a fatal impaired driving collision, the plaintiffs sought to compel answers and production from one defendant concerning punitive damages, historical alcohol use, driving history, social media, and incarceration-related records.
The court held that discovery is for ascertaining relevant facts, not adjudicating the viability of a partial summary judgment position, and refused to bar disclosure on the basis that punitive damages might ultimately fail because of the prior criminal sentence.
Broader disclosure was ordered concerning the Miami trip, past driving infractions, social media usernames and trip-related posts, and parole and incarceration records, subject to limits against overbroad and intrusive requests such as Apple ID data.
The defendant was ordered to answer the specified refusals in Appendix “A” and re-attend for further discovery.
