Friday, November 18, 2011

Undisclosed Trojan Horse Rebuttal Experts Prohibited

The court granted defendant's motion to strike a rebuttal expert report written by a new expert. "The issue presented is whether a new expert who did not serve any opening report may nonetheless make a reply submission attacking the opposition reports served by the other side. Neither party has identified any controlling authority on this point. . . . True, reply reports were not explicitly limited to the authors of the opening reports. The Court thought this was already clear and in twelve years of using this form of case management scheduling order, this is the first time anyone has suggested to the contrary. . . . A party with the burden of proof on an issue should not be allowed to secretly prepare an army of 'rebuttal' experts to attack the opposition reports like Odysseus and the Greeks springing forth from their wooden hideout in Troy."

Oracle America, Inc. v. Google Inc., 3-10-cv-03561 (CAND November 15, 2011, Order) (Alsup, J.)

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