What happens after a motion to compel is filed?

Asked by: Dr. Margarette Moore V  |  Last update: April 24, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (61 votes)

A motion to compel discovery is a request to the judge to order the prosecution to hand over evidence. If the court grants the motion, the judge will order that the appropriate materials be released on a plan of sanctions such as fines, suppression of evidence, and even a dismissal of the charges.

What are the consequences of a motion to compel?

If a motion to compel discovery is granted, the prosecution is legally obligated to provide the requested evidence. Failure to comply can lead to various consequences, including sanctions, case dismissal, or a reversal of a conviction on appeal due to the violation of discovery rights.

How long does it take to respond to a motion to compel?

Notice of a motion to compel further responses must be made within 45 days of the service of the “verified response.” (See Code Civ. Proc., §§ 2030.300, subd. (c) [interrogatories], 2031.310, subd. (c) [requests for production], 2033.290, subd.

Is motion to compel good or bad?

Motions to compel are often necessary to set the tone in your case and acquire the documents and information you need to win your case. Grounds: When a party who has propounded discovery believes the responses are inadequate, the propounding party may move for a motion to compel a further response.

How to win a motion to compel?

Some of the simple tactics to follow while filing a motion to compel:
  1. Act in good Faith.
  2. Thorough Knowledge of the Case.
  3. Limit citing voluminous authorities.
  4. Avoid Personal Attacks.

The truth about Motions to Compel

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What happens if someone ignores a motion to compel?

If a party or party's officer, director, or managing agent fails to obey a discovery order, the court may issue further orders. A court must also order a disobedient party, the advising attorney, or both to pay expenses resulting from the failure to reply.

What is the compel process?

A motion to compel is a formal request made by one party in a legal case to the court, seeking an order that the opposing party must provide certain information or take specific actions within a specified timeframe.

What is the burden of proof motion to compel?

Generally, the proponent of a motion to compel discovery bears the initial burden of proving that the information sought is relevant.

What is a motion to compel for dummies?

A motion to compel is a legal request made by one party to enforce the production of relevant information or evidence during the discovery process of a case. If one party fails or refuses to respond to discovery requests, the opposing party may file a motion to compel to seek court intervention and ensure compliance.

What is a motion to compel settlement?

One of the most common practices to enforce a settlement agreement is to file a motion to enforce settlement agreement in court. This motion calls on the court to enforce the agreed upon terms, and the judge has the final say. His or her role is to analyze evidence presented and listen to oral testimony by both sides.

What happens after a motion hearing?

The judge's decision is issued in the form of an order, which grants or denies the motion. This order becomes an official part of the court record and dictates the next steps in the litigation process.

What happens after motion to compel arbitration?

If a party has a pending lawsuit with arbitrable and non-arbitrable clauses and a petition to compel arbitration has been granted, a plaintiff may dismiss his/her lawsuit without prejudice under Code of Civil Procedure section 581 and as long as the statute of limitations allows, file a second suit without the ...

Do you have to meet and confer before filing a motion to compel?

Counsel is required to meet-and-confer before filing motions to compel further responses. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2023.010.) It is good practice to have multiple meet-and-confer attempts, both written and over the phone.

How long does a motion to compel take?

It depends if there was a hearing or not on your motion to compel. If there was not a hearing, you can expect an order on the motion generally within 30 days, depending on how busy the judge's desk is.

Does a motion to compel require a separate statement?

All discovery motions should include a notice of motion and motion. In addition, motions to compel further responses must include a separate statement and meet and confer declaration.

Is a motion to compel a subpoena?

A motion to compel is the method by which a subpoenaing party may compel production, if the reporter refuses to comply with the demands of the subpoena.

Why would a judge deny a motion to compel?

Your attorney must either accept this decision or appeal it and continue pursuing the material through other legal channels. A judge might deny a motion to compel for several reasons, including: The requested information was not essential to the case. The opposing party already produced the requested material.

What happens when a motion to compel is filed?

A motion to compel asks the court to order either the opposing party or a third party to take some action. This sort of motion most commonly deals with discovery disputes, when a party who has propounded discovery to either the opposing party or a third party believes that the discovery responses are insufficient.

What happens if someone doesn't respond to a motion to compel?

Courts enforce their orders by imposing sanctions on a party who fails to comply. Sanctions can be monetary, such as requiring one party to pay the other parties attorneys' fees and/or imposing a monetary fine, or they can hamper a party's ability to put on their case.

How do you fight a motion to compel?

The answering or objecting party may file a response to the motion to compel. The response must contain adequate justification for that party's objections, or argument showing why the party's answers to the discovery requests at issue were sufficient.

What consequences can result from a refusal to cooperate with an order compelling discovery?

Failure of United States to Participate in Good Faith in Discovery. Rule 37 authorizes the court to direct that parties or attorneys who fail to participate in good faith in the discovery process pay the expenses, including attorney's fees, incurred by other parties as a result of that failure.

What happens if discovery is not answered?

If the other person did not respond or didn't provide complete responses, try to work it out with them directly first. If that does not work, you can request a court order that requires them to respond or respond with more information. You have 45 days to do this.

Is compel positive or negative?

Compel has more of a neutral meaning than a positive or negative one. So does compelling. For example, you may feel compelled to dye your hair blue because all your friends are doing it, but you may also feel compelled to comfort a child who is crying. Evoking interest is not necessarily a positive thing, either.

What does compel mean legally?

compel vt. com·pelled. com·pel·ling. : to cause to do or occur by overwhelming pressure and esp. by authority or law [cannot the defendant to testify] [the result…

What is a good sentence for compel?

Illness compelled him to stay in bed. We took steps to compel their cooperation.