Advisory Committee on Civil Rules to Meet on November 17 & 18

Per Tom Rowe (Duke):

The Advisory Committee on Civil Rules meets on November 17-18 in Washington. The agenda books are now posted on the U.S. Courts Web site, and the one for next month's meeting is at

http://www.uscourts.gov/rules/Agenda Books/CV2008-11.pdf

The main items on the agenda include discussion (no action yet) on the proposed Rule 26 and 56 amendments, including the Rule 26(b)(4) change about which Bill Simon and John Leubsdorf have circulated to the list a letter of opposition; preliminary discussion about issues concerning assertion of privilege and work-product protection; and discussion about whether to attempt any revisions to Rule 68 on offers of judgment.

Before starting on its meeting agenda on November 17 the committee will hold the first of three scheduled hearings on the Rule 26 and 56 proposals. The other hearings are scheduled for January 14 in San Antonio and February 2 in San Francisco. (Hearings are sometimes called off for lack of attendance.) You can also submit comments rather than appearing at a hearing, including by e-mail to Rules_Comments@ao.uscourts.gov.

This round's deadline for submitting comments is February 17.