The 2006 Amendments To The Rules Of Civil Procedure: Accessible And Inaccessible Electronic Information Storage Devices, Why Parties Should Store Electronic Information In Accessible Formats

Authors

Benjamin D. Silbert, University of Richmond

Abstract

Discovery jurisprudence is a cornerstone of civil litigation in the United States. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, as adopted in 1938, introduced a broad discovery process, which was not a previously accepted practice. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have been revised several times since 1938, reflecting the evolution of society. However, prior to 2006, 1970 was the last time the discovery rules were amended to take into account changes in information technology. In the last thirty-seven years, technological advances in electronic storage and communication have changed the way people live and how business is conducted, beyond what could have been imagined in 1970. At that time, the drafters of the amendments could not have predicted the ubiquity of the personal computer and the amount of information it could store.

Recommended Citation

Benjamin D. Silbert, The 2006 Amendments To The Rules Of Civil Procedure: Accessible And Inaccessible Electronic Information Storage Devices, Why Parties Should Store Electronic Information In Accessible Formats, 13 Rich. J.L. & Tech 14 (2007).
Available at: https://scholarship.richmond.edu/jolt/vol13/iss3/7