Chapter 804

804.01(2)(e)1r.a. a. The subjects on which discovery of electronically stored information may be needed, when such discovery should be completed, and whether discovery of electronically stored information shall be conducted in phases or be limited to particular issues.

804.01(2)(e)1r.b. b. Preservation of electronically stored information pending discovery.

804.01(2)(e)1r.c. c. The form or forms in which electronically stored information shall be produced.

804.01(2)(e)1r.d. d. The method for asserting or preserving claims of privilege or of protection of trial-preparation materials, and to what extent, if any, the claims may be asserted after production of electronically stored information.

804.01(2)(e)1r.e. e. The cost of proposed discovery of electronically stored information and the extent to which such discovery shall be limited, if at all, under sub. (3) (a).

804.01(2)(e)1r.f. f. In cases involving protracted actions, complex issues, or multiple parties, the utility of the appointment by the court of a referee under s. 805.06 or an expert witness under s. 907.06 to supervise or inform the court on any aspect of the discovery of electronically stored information.

804.01(2)(e)2. 2. If a party fails or refuses to confer as required by subd. 1r., any party may move the court for relief under s. 804.12 (1).

804.01(2)(e)3. 3. If after conferring as required by subd. 1r., any party objects to any proposed request for discovery of electronically stored information or objects to any response under s. 804.08 (3) proposing the production of electronically stored information, the objecting party may move the court for an appropriate order under sub. (3).

804.01(3) (3) Protective orders.

804.01(3)(a) (a) 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 which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including but not limited to one or more of the following:

804.01(3)(a)1. 1. That the discovery not be had;

804.01(3)(a)2. 2. That the discovery may be had only by specifying terms, including time and place or the allocation of expenses, for the disclosure or discovery;

804.01(3)(a)3. 3. That the discovery may be had only by a method of discovery other than that selected by the party seeking discovery;

804.01(3)(a)4. 4. That certain matters not be inquired into, or that the scope of the discovery be limited to certain matters;

804.01(3)(a)5. 5. That discovery be conducted with no one present except persons designated by the court;

804.01(3)(a)6. 6. That a deposition after being sealed be opened only by order of the court;

804.01(3)(a)7. 7. That a trade secret, as defined in s. 134.90 (1) (c), or other confidential research, development, or commercial information not be disclosed or be disclosed only in a designated way;

804.01(3)(a)8. 8. That the parties simultaneously file specified documents or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the court.

804.01(3)(b) (b) 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. Section 804.12 (1) (c) applies to the award of expenses incurred in relation to the motion.

804.01(3)(c) (c) Motions under this subsection may be heard as prescribed in s. 807.13.

804.01(4) (4) Sequence and timing of discovery. Unless the parties stipulate or the court upon motion, for the convenience of parties and witnesses and in the interests 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, shall not operate to delay any other party’s discovery.

804.01(5) (5) Supplementation of responses. A party who has responded to a request for discovery with a response that was complete when made is under no duty to supplement the response to include information thereafter acquired, except as follows:

804.01(5)(a) (a) A party is under a duty seasonably to supplement the party’s response with respect to any question directly addressed to all of the following:

804.01(5)(a)1. 1. The identity and location of persons having knowledge of discoverable matters.

804.01(5)(a)2. 2. The identity of each person expected to be called as an expert witness at trial.

804.01(5)(b) (b) A party is under a duty seasonably to amend a prior response if the party obtains information upon the basis of which 1. the party knows that the response was incorrect when made, or 2. the party knows that the response though correct when made is no longer true and the circumstances are such that a failure to amend the response is in substance a knowing concealment.

804.01(5)(c) (c) A duty to supplement responses may be imposed by order of the court, agreement of the parties, or at any time prior to trial through new requests for supplementation of prior responses.

804.01(6) (6) Custody of discovery documents.

804.01(6)(a) (a) Unless the court in any action orders otherwise, the original copies of all depositions, interrogatories, requests for admission and responses thereto, and other discovery documentation shall be retained by the party who initiated the discovery or that party’s attorney.

804.01(6)(b) (b) The original copy of a deposition shall be retained by the attorney sealed as received from the person recording the testimony until the appeal period has expired, or until made a part of the record.

804.01(7) (7) Recovering information inadvertently disclosed. If information inadvertently produced in discovery is subject to a claim of privilege or of protection as trial preparation material, the party making the claim may notify any party that received the information of the claim and the basis for it. After being notified, a party must promptly return, sequester, or destroy the specified information and any copies it has; must not use or disclose the information until the claim is resolved; must take reasonable steps to retrieve the information if the party disclosed it before being notified; and may promptly present the information to the court under seal for a determination of the claim. The producing party must preserve the information until the claim is resolved.

804.01 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 654 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1985 a. 236; Sup. Ct. Order, 130 Wis. 2d xix (1986); Sup. Ct. Order, 141 Wis. 2d xiii (1987); 1993 a. 486; Sup. Ct. Order No. 95-03, 191 Wis. 2d xix (1995); 1997 a. 35, 133; 2007 a. 20; Sup. Ct. Order No. 09-01, 2010 WI 67, filed 7-6-10, eff. 1-1-11; Sup. Ct. Order No. 09-01A, 2010 WI 129, 329 Wis. 2d xix; Sup. Ct. Order No. 12-03, 2012 WI 114, 344 Wis. 2d xxi; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 235.

Effective date note Judicial Council Note, 1986: Sub. (6) requires that the originals of discovery documents be retained by the party who initiated the discovery, or his or her attorney, unless the court otherwise directs, until the time for appeal has expired. [Re Order eff. 7-1-86.]

804.01 Note Judicial Council Note, 1988: Sub. (3) (c) [created] allows motions for protective orders to be heard by telephone conference. [Re Order effective Jan. 1, 1988]

804.01 Note Judicial Council Note, 1995: The revision to sub. (2) (d) 1. makes it unnecessary to obtain a court order to take an expert’s deposition. By mutual agreement, practitioners commonly agree to take experts’ depositions without troubling the court for an order. The court’s power to control the discovery process is sufficient to prevent abuses. The revision is based on Rule 26 (b) (4) (A), F.R.C.P. Subsection (2) (d) 2. is amended to specify that discovery of non-testifying experts may be made by interrogatories or depositions. The revision is based on Rule 26 (b) (4) (B), F.R.C.P.

804.01 Note Supreme Court Note, 2010: Sub. (2) (e) was created as a measure to manage the costs of the discovery of electronically stored information. If the parties confer before embarking on such discovery, they may reduce the ultimate cost.

804.01 Note The rule does not require parties to confer before commencing discovery under s. 804.05 (Depositions upon oral examination), s. 804.06 (Depositions upon written questions), s. 804.08 (Interrogatories to parties); or s. 804.11 (Requests for admission). These discovery devices, if employed before serving a request for production or inspection of electronically stored information, may lead to more informed conferences about the potential scope of such discovery.

804.01 Note Parties may not be able to reach consensus on how discovery of electronically stored information is to be managed. Accordingly, subs. (e) 2. and (e) 3. confer authority on the court to intervene as appropriate. In determining whether to issue an order relating to discovery of electronically stored information, the circuit court may compare the costs and potential benefits of discovery. See Vincent & Vincent, Inc. v. Spacek, 102 Wis. 2d 266, 306 N.W.2d 85 (Ct. App. 1981). It is also appropriate to consider the factors specified in the Advisory Committee notes to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(2)(B): (1) the specificity of the discovery request; (2) the quantity of information available from other and more easily accessed sources; (3) the failure to produce relevant information that seems likely to have existed but is no longer available on more easily accessed sources; (4) the likelihood of finding relevant, responsive information that cannot be obtained from other, more easily accessed sources; (5) predictions as to the importance and usefulness of the further information; (6) the importance of the issues at stake in the litigation; and (7) the parties’ resources.

804.01 Note Judicial Council Note, 2012: Sup. Ct. Order No. 12-03 states that “the Judicial Council Notes to Wis. Stat. § 804.01 (2) (c), 804.01 (7), 805.07 (2) (d), and 905.03 (5) are not adopted, but will be published and may be consulted for guidance in interpreting and applying the rule.”

804.01 Note Sub. (2) (c) is amended to make explicit the effect of different kinds of disclosures of trial preparation materials. An inadvertent disclosure of trial preparation materials is akin to an inadvertent disclosure of a communication protected by the lawyer-client privilege. Whether such a disclosure results in a forfeiture of the protection is determined by the same standards set forth in Wis. Stat. s. 905.03(5). A disclosure that is other than inadvertent is treated as a waiver. The distinction between “waiver” and “forfeiture” is discussed in cases such as State v. Ndina, 2009 WI 21, ¶¶28-31, 315 Wis. 2d 653.

804.01 Note Sub. (7) is modeled on Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(5)(B), the so-called “clawback” provision of the federal rules. The following Committee Note of the federal Advisory Committee on Civil Rules regarding the 2006 Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (regarding discovery of electronically stored information) is instructive in understanding the scope and purpose of Wisconsin’s version:

804.01 Note

804.01 Note The Committee has repeatedly been advised that the risk of privilege waiver, and the work necessary to avoid it, add to the costs and delay of discovery. When the review is of electronically stored information, the risk of waiver, and the time and effort required to avoid it, can increase substantially because of the volume of electronically stored information and the difficulty in ensuring that all information to be produced has in fact been reviewed. Rule 26(b)(5)(A) provides a procedure for a party that has withheld information on the basis of privilege or protection as trial-preparation material to make the claim so that the requesting party can decide whether to contest the claim and the court can resolve the dispute. Rule 26(b)(5)(B) is added to provide a procedure for a party to assert a claim of privilege or trial-preparation material protection after information is produced in discovery in the action and, if the claim is contested, permit any party that received the information to present the matter to the court for resolution.

804.01 Note Rule 26(b)(5)(B) does not address whether the privilege or protection that is asserted after production was waived by the production. The courts have developed principles to determine whether, and under what circumstances, waiver results from inadvertent production of privileged or protected information. Rule 26(b)(5)(B) provides a procedure for presenting and addressing these issues. Rule 26(b)(5)(B) works in tandem with Rule 26(f), which is amended to direct the parties to discuss privilege issues in preparing their discovery plan, and which, with amended Rule 16(b), allows the parties to ask the court to include in an order any agreements the parties reach regarding issues of privilege or trial-preparation material protection. Agreements reached under Rule 26(f)(4) and orders including such agreements entered under Rule 16(b)(6) may be considered when a court determines whether a waiver has occurred. Such agreements and orders ordinarily control if they adopt procedures different from those in Rule 26(b)(5)(B).

804.01 Note A party asserting a claim of privilege or protection after production must give notice to the receiving party. That notice should be in writing unless the circumstances preclude it. Such circumstances could include the assertion of the claim during a deposition. The notice should be as specific as possible in identifying the information and stating the basis for the claim. Because the receiving party must decide whether to challenge the claim and may sequester the information and submit it to the court for a ruling on whether the claimed privilege or protection applies and whether it has been waived, the notice should be sufficiently detailed so as to enable the receiving party and the court to understand the basis for the claim and to determine whether waiver has occurred. Courts will continue to examine whether a claim of privilege or protection was made at a reasonable time when delay is part of the waiver determination under the governing law.

804.01 Note After receiving notice, each party that received the information must promptly return, sequester, or destroy the information and any copies it has. The option of sequestering or destroying the information is included in part because the receiving party may have incorporated the information in protected trial-preparation materials. No receiving party may use or disclose the information pending resolution of the privilege claim. The receiving party may present to the court the questions whether the information is privileged or protected as trial-preparation material, and whether the privilege or protection has been waived. If it does so, it must provide the court with the grounds for the privilege or protection specified in the producing party’s notice, and serve all parties. In presenting the question, the party may use the content of the information only to the extent permitted by the applicable law of privilege, protection for trial-preparation material, and professional responsibility.

804.01 Note If a party disclosed the information to nonparties before receiving notice of a claim of privilege or protection as trial-preparation material, it must take reasonable steps to retrieve the information and to return it, sequester it until the claim is resolved, or destroy it.

804.01 Note Whether the information is returned or not, the producing party must preserve the information pending the court’s ruling on whether the claim of privilege or of protection is properly asserted and whether it was waived. As with claims made under Rule 26(b)(5)(A), there may be no ruling if the other parties do not contest the claim.

804.01 Annotation The trial court has no authority to order the production of documents relevant to a claim upon which it could grant no relief. State ex rel. Rilla v. Circuit Court, 76 Wis. 2d 429, 251 N.W.2d 476 (1977).

804.01 Annotation Discovery, although it has a purpose of finding admissible evidence, does not imply that what is discovered will be admissible. Shibilski v. St. Joseph’s Hospital of Marshfield, Inc., 83 Wis. 2d 459, 266 N.W.2d 264 (1978).

804.01 Annotation When the cost of discovery was several times greater than the claim for damages, a protective order against discovery was appropriate. Vincent & Vincent, Inc. v. Spacek, 102 Wis. 2d 266, 306 N.W.2d 85 (Ct. App. 1981).

804.01 Annotation A highly placed state official who seeks a protective order should not be compelled to testify on deposition unless a clear showing is made that the deposition is necessary to prevent prejudice or injustice. State v. Beloit Concrete Stone Co., 103 Wis. 2d 506, 309 N.W.2d 28 (Ct. App. 1981).

804.01 Annotation Public records germane to pending litigation were available under s. 19.35 even though the discovery cutoff deadline had passed. State ex rel. Lank v. Rzentkowski, 141 Wis. 2d 846, 416 N.W.2d 635 (Ct. App. 1987).

804.01 Annotation A lawyer’s decision to spend a client’s resources on photographic or video surveillance is protected work product. Disclosure of the fact of the surveillance and description of the materials obtained would impinge on the core of the work-product doctrine. Ranft v. Lyons, 163 Wis. 2d 282, 471 N.W.2d 254 (Ct. App. 1991).

804.01 Annotation A litigant’s request to see the litigant’s file that is in the possession of current or former counsel does not waive the attorney-client and work-product privileges and does not allow other parties to the litigation discovery of those files. Borgwardt v. Redlin, 196 Wis. 2d 342, 538 N.W.2d 581 (Ct. App. 1995), 94-2701.

804.01 Annotation Discussing discoverability of lawyer work product. State v. Hydrite Chemical Co., 220 Wis. 2d 51, 582 N.W.2d 411 (Ct. App. 1998), 96-1780.

804.01 Annotation A substantiated assertion of privilege is substantial justification for failing to comply with an order to provide or permit discovery. Burnett v. Alt, 224 Wis. 2d 72, 589 N.W.2d 21 (1999), 96-3356.

804.01 Annotation Unfiled pretrial materials in a civil action between private parties are not public records, and neither the public nor the press has either a common law or constitutional right of access to those materials. State ex rel. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc. v. Circuit Court, 2000 WI 16, 233 Wis. 2d 1, 605 N.W.2d 868, 99-2810.

804.01 Annotation The test of whether the work-product doctrine under sub. (2) (c) applies is whether, in light of the nature of the document and the factual situation in the particular case, the document can fairly be said to have been prepared or obtained because of the prospect of litigation. Once a matter is classified as work product, the party moving for discovery must make an adequate showing that the information sought is unavailable from other sources and that a denial of discovery would prejudice the movant’s preparation for trial. Lane v. Sharp Packaging Systems, Inc., 2002 WI 28, 251 Wis. 2d 68, 640 N.W.2d 788, 00-1797.

804.01 Annotation The New Wisconsin Rules of Civil Procedure: Chapter 804. Graczyk. 59 MLR 463 (1976).

804.01 Annotation Witness Statements: Current state of discovery in Wisconsin. Van Domelen & Benson. WBB May 1988.

804.01 Annotation Discoverability of Work-Product Materials Reviewed by Testifying Experts. Matthews. Wis. Law. June 2002.

804.01 Annotation What You Need to Know: New Electronic Discovery Rules. Sankovitz, Grenig, & Gleisner. Wis. Law. July 2010.

804.01 Annotation E-Discovery: Who Pays? Edwards. Wis. Law. Oct. 2012.

804.01 Annotation Sweeping Changes to Rules of Civil Procedure. Billings, Gegios, & Bialzik. Wis. Law. June 2018.

804.01 Annotation Electronically Stored Information: Balancing Proportionality & Preservation. Edwards. Wis. Law. Oct. 2020.

804.015 804.015 Limits on discovery by prisoners.

804.015(1) (1) In this section, “prisoner” has the meaning given s. 801.02 (7) (a) 2.

804.015(2) (2) Unless ordered by the court, a prisoner in an action or special proceeding may not obtain discovery before the court receives a copy of the answer or other responsive pleading in the action commenced by the prisoner. If a defendant submits a motion to dismiss or a motion for summary judgment, no discovery may be obtained until the court decides that the prisoner has a reasonable opportunity to prevail on the merits, or until the court decides the merits of the motion, unless the court orders a party to submit to discovery.

804.015(3) (3) If a court allows a prisoner to obtain discovery under sub. (2) before the court decides that the prisoner has a reasonable opportunity to prevail on the merits, receives a copy of the answer or other responsive pleading in the action, or decides the merits of a motion to dismiss or a motion for summary judgment, the court order shall be narrowly tailored to limit the discovery to allow only discovery that is essential to enable the prisoner to obtain the evidence necessary to his or her case. The court shall limit the discovery so as to provide a minimal intrusion in the activities of any person subject to discovery under this subsection.

804.015(4) (4) If a prisoner commences an action or special proceeding, the court shall limit the number of requests for interrogatories, production of documents or admissions to 15, unless good cause is shown for any additional requests. This number may not be expanded by the use of subparts to the interrogatories.

804.015(5) (5) This section does not apply when the prisoner appears by an attorney who is licensed to practice law in this state.

804.015 History History: 1997 a. 133.

804.02 804.02 Perpetuation of testimony by deposition.

804.02(1) (1) Before action.

804.02(1)(a) (a) Petition. A person who desires to perpetuate personal testimony or that of another person regarding any matter that may be cognizable in any court of this state may file a verified petition in any such court in this state. The petition shall be entitled in the name of the petitioner and shall show that the petitioner expects to be a party to an action; the subject matter of the expected action and the petitioner’s interest therein; the facts which the petitioner desires to establish by the proposed testimony and the petitioner’s reasons for desiring to perpetuate it; the names or a description of the persons the petitioner expects will be adverse parties and their addresses so far as known; and the names and addresses of the persons to be examined and the substance of the testimony which the petitioner expects to elicit from each, and shall ask for an order authorizing the petitioner to take the depositions of the persons to be examined named in the petition, for the purpose of perpetuating their testimony.

804.02(1)(b) (b) Notice and service. The petitioner shall thereafter serve a notice upon each person named in the petition as an expected adverse party, together with a copy of the petition, stating that the petitioner will move the court, at a time and place named therein, for the order described in the petition. At least 20 days before the date of hearing the notice shall be served either within or without the state in the manner provided in s. 801.11 for service of summons; but if such service cannot with due diligence be made upon any expected adverse party named in the petition, the court may make such order as is just for service by publication or otherwise, and shall appoint, for persons not served in the manner provided in s. 801.11, an attorney who shall represent them, and, in case they are not otherwise represented, shall cross-examine the deponent. If any expected adverse party is a minor or is an individual adjudicated or alleged to be incompetent, s. 803.01 (3) applies.

804.02(1)(c) (c) Order and examination. If the court is satisfied that the perpetuation of the testimony may prevent a failure or delay of justice, it shall make an order designating or describing the persons whose depositions may be taken and specifying the subject matter of the examination and whether the depositions shall be taken upon oral examination or written interrogatories. The depositions may then be taken in accordance with this chapter; and the court may make orders of the character provided for by ss. 804.09 and 804.10. For the purpose of applying this chapter to depositions for perpetuating testimony, each reference therein to the court in which the action is pending shall be deemed to refer to the court in which the petition for such deposition was filed.

804.02(1)(d) (d) Use of deposition. If a deposition to perpetuate testimony is taken under this section, or if, although not so taken, it would be otherwise admissible in the courts of this state, it may be used in any action involving the same subject matter subsequently brought in this state in accordance with s. 804.07.

804.02(2) (2) Pending appeal.

804.02(2)(a) (a) If an appeal has been taken from a judgment of a court of this state or before the taking of an appeal if the time therefor has not expired, the court in which the judgment was rendered may allow the taking of the depositions of witnesses to perpetuate their testimony for use in the event of further proceedings in the court.

804.02(2)(b) (b) In such case, the party who desires to perpetuate the testimony may make a motion in the court for leave to take the depositions, upon the same notice and service thereof as if the action was pending in the court. The motion shall show all of the following:

804.02(2)(b)1. 1. The names and addresses of persons to be examined and the substance of the testimony which the moving party expects to elicit from each of those persons.

804.02(2)(b)2. 2. The reasons for perpetuating the testimony of the persons under subd. 1.

804.02(2)(c) (c) If the court finds that the perpetuation of the testimony is proper to avoid a failure or delay of justice, it may make an order allowing the depositions to be taken and may make orders of the character provided for by ss. 804.09 and 804.10 and thereupon the depositions may be taken and used in the same manner and under the same conditions as are prescribed in this chapter for depositions taken in actions pending in the court.

804.02 History History: Sup. Ct. Order, 67 Wis. 2d 585, 660 (1975); 1975 c. 218; 1993 a. 486; 2005 a. 387; 2021 a. 238 s. 45.

804.03 804.03 Persons before whom depositions may be taken.

804.03(1) (1) Within the United States. Within the United States or within a territory or insular possession subject to the dominion of the United States, depositions shall be taken before an officer authorized to administer oaths by the laws of the United States or of this state or of the place where the examination is held, or before a person appointed by the court in which the action is pending. A person so appointed has power to administer oaths and take testimony.

804.03(2) (2) In foreign countries. In a foreign country, depositions may be taken on notice before a person authorized to administer oaths in the place in which the examination is held, either by the law thereof or by the law of the United States; before a person commissioned by the court, and a person so commissioned shall have the power by virtue of the commission to administer any necessary oath and take testimony; or pursuant to a letter rogatory. A commission or a letter rogatory shall be issued on motion and notice and on terms that are just and appropriate. It is not requisite to the issuance of a commission or a letter rogatory that the taking of the deposition in any other manner is impracticable or inconvenient; and both a commission and a letter rogatory may be issued in proper cases. A notice or commission may designate the person before whom the deposition is to be taken either by name or descriptive title. A letter rogatory may be addressed “To the Appropriate Authority in (here name the country)”. Evidence obtained in response to a letter rogatory need not be excluded merely for the reason that it is not a verbatim transcript or that the testimony was not taken under oath or for any similar departure from the requirements for depositions taken within the United States under this chapter.