(a) Any party claiming that his or her request for discovery pursuant to Section 89539.1 has not been complied with may serve and file a petition to compel discovery with the Hearing Office of the State Personnel Board, naming as the respondent the party refusing or failing to comply with Section 89539.1. The petition shall state facts showing that the respondent failed or refused to comply with Section 89539.1, a description of the matters sought to be discovered, the reason or reasons why the matter is discoverable under Section 89539.1, and the ground or grounds for the respondent’s refusal so far as known to the petitioner.
(b) (1) The petition shall be served upon the respondent, and filed within 14 days after the respondent first evidenced his or her failure or refusal to comply with Section 89539.1, or within 30 days after the request was made and the party has failed to reply to the request, whichever period is longer. However, no petition may be filed within 15 days of the date set for commencement of the administrative hearing, except upon a petition and a determination by the administrative law judge of good cause. In determining good cause, the administrative law judge shall consider the necessity and reasons for the discovery, the diligence or lack of diligence of the moving party, whether the granting of the petition will delay the commencement of the administrative hearing on the date set, and the possible prejudice of the action to any party.
(2) The respondent shall have a right to file a written answer to the petition. Any answer shall be filed with the Hearing Office of the State Personnel Board and the petitioner within 15 days of service of the petition.
(3) Unless otherwise stipulated by the parties and as provided by this section, the administrative law judge shall review the petition and any response filed by the respondent, and issue a decision granting or denying the petition within 20 days after the filing of the petition. Nothing in this section shall preclude the administrative law judge from determining that an evidentiary hearing shall be conducted prior to the issuance of a decision on the petition. In the event that a hearing is ordered, the decision of the administrative law judge shall be issued within 20 days of the closing of the hearing.
(4) A party aggrieved by the decision of the administrative law judge may, within 30 days of service of the decision, file a petition to compel discovery in the superior court for the county in which the administrative hearing will be held or in the county in which the headquarters of the trustees is located. The petition shall be served on the respondent.
(c) If, from a reading of the petition, the court is satisfied that the petition sets forth good cause for relief, the court shall issue an order to show cause directed to the respondent; otherwise the court shall enter an order denying the petition. The order to show cause shall be served upon the respondent and his or her attorney of record in the administrative proceeding by personal delivery or certified mail, and shall be returnable no earlier than 10 days from its issuance nor later than 30 days after the filing of the petition. The respondent shall have the right to serve and file a written answer or other response to the petition and order to show cause.
(d) The court may, in its discretion, order the administrative proceeding stayed during the pendency of the proceeding, and, if necessary, for a reasonable time thereafter to afford the parties time to comply with the court order.
(e) If the matter sought to be discovered is under the custody or control of the respondent and the respondent asserts that the matter is not a discoverable matter under Section 89539.1, or is privileged against disclosure under Section 89539.1, the court may order lodged with it matters that are provided in subdivision (b) of Section 915 of the Evidence Code, and shall examine the matters in accordance with the provisions thereof.
(f) The court shall decide the case on the matters examined by the court in camera, the papers filed by the parties, and any oral argument and additional evidence as the court may allow.
(g) Unless otherwise stipulated by the parties, the court shall, no later than 45 days after the filing of the petition, file its order denying or granting the petition. However, the court may, on its own motion, for good cause, extend the time an additional 45 days. The order of the court shall be in writing, setting forth the matters or parts the petitioner is entitled to discover under Section 89539.1. A copy of the order shall forthwith be served by mail by the clerk upon the parties. If the order grants the petition in whole or in part, the order shall not become effective until 10 days after the date the order is served by the clerk. If the order denies relief to the petitioning party, the order shall be effective on the date it is served by the clerk.
(h) (1) The order of the superior court shall be final and, except for this subdivision, shall not be subject to review by appeal. A party aggrieved by the order, or any part thereof, may, within 30 days after the service of the superior court’s order, serve and file in the district court of appeal for the district in which the superior court is located, a petition for a writ of mandamus to compel the superior court to set aside, or otherwise modify, its order.
(2) If a review is sought from an order granting discovery, the order of the trial court and the administrative proceeding shall be stayed upon the filing of the petition for writ of mandamus. However, the court of appeal may dissolve or modify the stay thereafter, if it is in the public interest to do so. If the review is sought from a denial of discovery, neither the trial court’s order nor the administrative proceeding shall be stayed by the court of appeal except upon a clear showing of probable error.
(i) If the superior court finds that a party or his or her attorney, without substantial justification, failed or refused to comply with Section 89539.1, or, without substantial justification, filed a petition to compel discovery pursuant to this section, or, without substantial justification, failed to comply with any order of court made pursuant to this section, the court may award court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees to the opposing party. Nothing in this subdivision shall limit the power of the superior court to compel obedience to its orders by contempt proceedings.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 22, Sec. 54. Effective January 1, 2006.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018