OATH pre-hearing discovery procedures
OATH Index No. 853/15.
In proceedings at OATH, some parties engage in informal discovery, although OATH rules of practice provide broad guidelines for discovery practices.
When a party fails to respond to discovery demands, the opposing party should make a pre-trial motion to compel production to the trial judge as soon as possible. Conversely, an objection to discovery should also be made as soon as possible.
Here, petitioner sought to exclude evidence offered by respondent as a sanction for respondent's failure to timely produce documents in response to reciprocal discovery. Administrative Law Judge Tynia D. Richard found respondent’s production inadequate but declined to impose a sanction because she did not find evidence that the non-compliance was willful. However, counsel was warned that similar conduct could result in sanctions in the future.
Posted on the Internet at: http://archive.citylaw.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/oath/15-853.pdf