Johannes Gerber v. Randall Blau, et al.

Summary

This order directs the parties to meet and confer regarding defendants’ motion to compel discovery responses. It requires the parties to file a joint list of unresolved discovery issues by January 27, 2026, and schedules a hearing for February 3, 2026. The order also provides guidance concerning proportionality, specificity of discovery requests and objections, privilege logs, and compliance with the meet-and-confer requirement.

Holdings

1. The parties must meet and confer in person or by video in good faith as required by E.D. Mich. LR 37.1 and must file a compliant joint list of unresolved discovery issues before the hearing.
2. Discovery requests must describe the requested documents with reasonable particularity, and objections must be stated specifically. A burden objection must be supported by affidavits, other evidence, or sufficient information to permit a common-sense assessment of the burden.
3. A party claiming privilege in response to discovery must provide a privilege log as required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(5)(A)(ii).

Questions Presented

1. Whether the parties should be required to meet and confer in good faith before the court hears defendants' motion to compel.
2. What information the parties must provide concerning each unresolved discovery request so that the court can evaluate relevance, proportionality, specificity, burden, objections, and privilege.

Disposition

other