Judge orders verified discovery, delays sanctions in Shaw v. Riverwood negligent-security dispute

Summary

In a hearing over discovery and a defense motion for sanctions, a Clayton County State Court judge gave plaintiffs seven days to verify their complaint and discovery responses, denied sanctions for now and permitted consolidation/party additions while pressing counsel to exchange information informally.

Judge Tammy Long Hayward presiding in Clayton County State Court on Jan. 15, 2025 ordered plaintiffs in Shaw v. Riverwood Housing Partners to verify their complaint and discovery responses within seven days and declined to impose sanctions immediately, after defense lawyers said plaintiffs withheld police-file evidence and key witness identities.

The court set a seven-day deadline for a verified complaint and verified discovery updates, granted plaintiffs leave to add parties in the Clayton County case, and warned that graduated sanctions could follow if the verification and supplemental responses were not filed. “We got 7 days to get the complaint verified. 7 days for verification of the discovery responses. And that means updating the discovery responses,” Judge Hayward said.

The hearing focused on defense allegations that plaintiffs failed to disclose statements and materials from the Clayton County Police Department file, including interviews in which…

Judge orders verified discovery, delays sanctions in Shaw v. Riverwood negligent-security dispute

Summary

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