A Disproportionate Response? The 2015 Proportionality Amendments to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)

On December 1, 2015, a set of amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure took effect. Among the most significant and contentious of these changes is the Rules’ renewed focus on the concept of proportionality in the scope of discovery, added in an effort to curb perceived over-discovery. This Note argues that the new Rule 26(b) is not likely to substantially further the Committee’s professed goals. Specifically, this Note shows that, even if over-discovery is a rampant problem with proportionality as its solution—a contention that is not well supported by empirical evidence—the new Rule 26(b) does little that will effect change in federal civil litigation practice.