1999 Forum

The 1999 Forum for
State Court Judges

San Francisco, CA, July 17, 1999

Controversies Surrounding
Discovery and Its Effect on the Courts

Through the Forum for State Court Judges, The Pound Foundation brings together state Supreme Court and Intermediate Appellate Court judges, trial lawyers, and law professors for a lively, open exchange of theories and experiences on civil justice issues affecting state courts.

The Forum plays a major role in initiating positive dialogue with the judiciary. This open channel of communication allows the legal community to learn what concerns state judges, and provides a platform for lawyers to present to the judges the concerns of the trial bar on critical issues affecting citizen's rights and redress.

The 1999 Forum considered: the facts and myths related to the discovery controversy, with particular reference to empirical research on discovery that has been conducted in recent years; and, recent proposals to amend the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure pertaining to discovery, with particular consideration of whether the proposals have advanced or hindered the original purposes of civil discovery.

A report of the Forum, including issues discussed and conclusions reached, was sent to state Supreme and Intermediate Appellate Court judges, law professors, law school libraries, practicing attorneys, and the media.

Previous Forums have fostered wide-ranging and positive debates of benefit to America's civil justice system. The four most recent Forums have focused on:

Assaults on the Judiciary: Attacking the 'Great Bulwark of Public Liberty.'
1998 Forum for State Court Judges, Washington, DC

Scientific Evidence in the Courts: Concepts and Controversies
1997 Forum for State Court Judges, San Diego, California

Possible State Court Responses to the ALI's Proposed Restatement of Products Liability.
1996 Forum for State Court Judges, Boston, Massachusetts

Preserving Access to Justice: The Impact on State Courts of the Proposed Long-Range Plan for the Federal Courts.
1995 Forum for State Court Judges, New York, New York