Deposing Records Managers
Presented By:
Donna Panich, Esq.Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
ARMA Indianapolis Electronic Discovery
Conference
March 24, 2010
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AGENDA
WHEN, WHY & WHO TO DEPOSE
KEY ISSUES
LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
PREPARING THE WITNESS
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T0 DEPOSE OR NOT TO DEPOSE
SEARCHING FOR RELEVANT EVIDENCE
EXPLORING SPOLIATION
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TIMING CAN BE EVERYTHING
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WHO PICKS THE WITNESS
THE RELATIVE MERITS OF
30(B)(1)
30(B)(6)
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KEY
RECORDS
MANAGEMENT AND RETENTION
ISSUES
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DEFINING THE CONCEPT
WHAT IS A “RECORD”? Malletier v. Dooney & Bourke, Inc..
EPHEMERAL DATA Convolve, Inc. v. Compaq Computer
Corp. Columbia Pictures, Inc. v. Bunnell
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POLICIES
SCOPE OF APPLICATION LEGACY INFORMATION
POLICY v. PRACTICE
INTERPRETATION
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POLICIES
MECHANICS OF IMPLEMENTATION WHO WHERE HOW
TRAINING
OTHER USER ASSISTANCE
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Collateral Processes
LITIGATION HOLDS
DESTRUCTION PROTOCOL
AUTO-DELETION
BACK-UP
Cache La Poudre Feeds, LLC v. Land O’ Lakes, Inc. The Pension Committee of the University of Montreal Pension
Plan v. Banc of America Securities, LLC
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COMPLIANCE
UNIFORMITY
DISCRETION
SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT U.S. v. Arthur Anderson LLP Rambus, Inc., v. Infineo Techs
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LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
PROPONENT ADVANCE WRITTEN DISCOVERY LOCKING IN KEY PLAYERS
DEFENDER UNDERSTAND THE MANAGER’S ROLE DETERMINE NEEDED BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
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LAYING THE GROUNDWORK
MANAGER SHOULD UNDERSTAND CASE THEORY THE PURPOSE OF THE DEPOSITION HIS/HER ROLE WHERE YOUR TESTIMONY FITS IN
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EXPLAIN BASICS – THE SETTING
THE STAGE
THE DATE
THE PLAYERS
THE COSTUMES
NO SCRIPTS
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COVER THE CRITICAL RULES
TELL THE TRUTH PREVARICATION GUESSING SPECULATION
LISTEN AND THINK OBJECTIONS UNDERSTANDING SHORT AND SWEET VOLUNTEERING
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EXAMPLES
Question: “Is Ms. Smith still with the company?”
Correct Answer: “Yes.”
Wrong Answer: “She is still with the company, but she was transferred to a new position.”
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EXAMPLES
Question: “Who helped you draft the Company’s record retention policy.”
Correct Answer: “John Doe and Bill Brown.”
Wrong Answer: “John Doe, and his replacement, Bill Brown, after John was fired.”
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EXPLAIN WHAT TO EXPECT…
“TRICK QUESTIONS”
SUBSTITUTING WORDS
COMPOUND QUESTIONS
NEGATIVE QUESTIONS
INTRODUCTORY CLAUSES
ASSUMING FACTS
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…WHAT TO EXPECT…
INTERRUPTIONS
FRUSTRATION REPETITIOUS QUESTIONS THE WRONG QUESTIONS
“OFF THE RECORD”
CLARITY
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RULES ON DEMEANOR
“KEEP YOUR COOL” STAY FOCUSED BE POLITE DO NOT THINK ALOUD ABSOLUTELY NO
OBSCENITY ETHNIC SLURS DEROGATORY NAMES
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MECHANICAL POINTERS
READ EXHIBITS
AUDIBLE ANSWERS
FULL SENTENCES
AVOID LEVITY, HYPERBOLE, OR SARCASM
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THANK YOU
Donna Panich, Esq.
317. [email protected]