GENERAL PROVISIONS GOVERNING DISCOVERY

(a) Discovery methods. Parties may obtain discovery by one or more of the following methods: depositions upon oral examination; production of documents or things for inspection and other purposes; and physical and mental examinations. (b) Scope of Discovery. Unless otherwise limited by order of the court in accordance with these rules, the scope of discovery is as follows: (1) In General. Parties may obtain discovery regarding any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to the subject matter of the pending action, whether it relates to the claim or defense of the party seeking discovery, including the existence, description, nature, custody, condition, and location of any books, documents, or other tangible things and the identity and location of persons having knowledge of any discoverable matter. It is not ground for objection that the information sought will be inadmissible at the trial if the information sought appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. (2) Trial Preparation: Materials. Subject to the provisions of subdivision (b)(1) of this rule, a party may obtain discovery of documents and tangible things otherwise discoverable under subdivision (b)(1) of this rule and prepared in anticipation of litigation for trial only upon a showing that the party seeking discovery has 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 must protect against disclosure of the mental impressions, conclusions, opinions, or legal theories of an attorney or other representative of a party concerning the litigation. (3) Trial Preparation. Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators January 1, 2024 11 (A) (i) The state attorney bringing the action must disclose the names and addresses of all witnesses to be called by the petitioner to testify at trial at the time of the filing of the petition. The respondent must disclose the names and addresses of all witnesses to be called by the respondent at trial at the time of filing the answer to the petition. The list of witnesses may be amended without leave of court until ten days prior to trial. Thereafter, the witness lists may be amended by leave of court. (ii) The witness list must include the names and addresses of expert witnesses. A copy of all reports made by experts must be disclosed as soon as they are received. An expert may be required to produce financial and business records only under the most unusual or compelling circumstances and may not be compelled to compile or produce nonexistent documents. Upon motion, the court may order further discovery by other means, subject to such restrictions as to scope and other provisions pursuant to subdivision (b)(1) of this rule concerning fees and expenses as the court may deem appropriate. (iii) The state attorney must provide the respondent with copies of case reports, depositions, witness statements and other records regarding the respondent’s prior criminal history and confinement, and any other document or material reviewed and relied upon by the multidisciplinary team in evaluating the respondent, within ten days after the summons has been returned served and filed with the clerk of the court. (B) A party may discover facts known or opinions held by an expert who has been retained or specially employed by another party in anticipation of litigation or preparation for trial, and who is not expected to be called as a witness at trial, only upon a showing of exceptional circumstances under which it is impracticable for the party seeking discovery to obtain facts or opinions on the same subject by other means. (C) Expert witnesses must be paid a reasonable fee for time spent responding to discovery under subdivision (b)(3)(A) and (b)(3)(B) of this rule unless a manifest injustice would Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators January 1, 2024 12 result. Respondents who are not indigent may be required to pay for discovery obtained under (b)(3)(A) and must be responsible for discovery obtained under (b)(3)(B). The state attorney and indigent respondents must apply for compensation for experts in the manner prescribed by law. (4) Claims of Privilege or Protection of Trial Preparation Materials. When a party withholds information otherwise discoverable under these rules by claiming that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation material, the party must make the claim expressly and must describe the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced or disclosed in a manner that, without revealing information itself privileged or protected, will enable other parties to assess the applicability of the privilege or protection. Attorney work product claims and preparation for trial privilege claims must be allowed. (c) Protective Orders. Upon motion by a party, or by the person from whom discovery is sought, and for good cause shown, the court may make any order to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense that justice requires, including one or more of the following: (1) the discovery not be had; (2) the discovery may be had only on specified terms and conditions, including a designation of the time or place; (3) the discovery may be had only by a method of discovery other than that selected by the party seeking discovery; (4) certain matters not be inquired into, or that the scope of the discovery be limited to certain matters; (5) the discovery be conducted with no one present except persons designated by the court; (6) a deposition after being sealed be opened only by order of the court; and Florida Rules of Civil Procedure for Involuntary Commitment of Sexually Violent Predators January 1, 2024 13 (7) the parties simultaneously file specified documents or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the court. If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or in part, the court may, on such terms and conditions as are just, order that any party or person provide or permit discovery. (d) Sequence and Timing of Discovery. Except as provided in subdivision (b)(1) or unless the court upon motion for the convenience of parties and witnesses and in the interest of justice orders otherwise, methods of discovery may be used in any sequence, and the fact that a party is conducting discovery, whether by deposition or otherwise, must not delay any other party’s discovery. (e) Supplementing of Responses. A party who has responded to a request for discovery with a response that was complete when made is under a continuing duty to supplement the response to include information thereafter acquired. This provision applies to the reciprocal discovery obligation of the petitioner and the respondent to reveal witnesses’ names and addresses on a continuing basis. The court must inquire into all claims of failure to disclose and rule appropriately as to duties to disclose and as to sanctions.