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JANET HELSON
18 I. RELIEF REQUESTED
19 Kristen Bryant, an individual who is not a party to this lawsuit, requests that the Court
20 deny Plaintiffs motion to compel production of documents. Alternatively, Ms. Bryant requests
21 that this Court modify the subpoena to limit required document production as described herein.
22 II. STATEMENT OF FACTS
23 Ms. Bryant is a private citizen exercising her right to engage in public discourse with both
24 other citizens and her elected officials. The First Amendment to the United States Constitution
25 provides: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting
26 the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the
27
2 CONST. AMEND. I.
3 Ms. Bryant grew up in the City of Black Diamond, Washington, and her parents still reside
4 there. Declaration of Kristin Bryant, 3. She visits Black Diamond frequently and cares deeply
5 about preserving the quality of life enjoyed by its residents, including its peaceful, natural setting,
6 and avoiding the blights of urban sprawl such as traffic congestion and higher taxes. Id. This led
7 to her involvement in actions taken by the City, the City Council, and the Mayor of Black
8 Diamond. Id. Ms. Bryants involvement in city government included supporting candidates to the
9 City Council who shared her values and goals for a livable city. Id. She also attends meetings of
10 the City Council and its working groups, and she directly lobbies members of the City Council.
11 Id.
12 Plaintiff incorrectly asserts that Ms. Bryants relationship with Councilmembers Erika
13 Morgan, Pat Pepper and Brian Weber (Defendant Councilmembers) is solely based on the
14 events at issue in this lawsuit and the illegal actions at issue in this lawsuit. In fact, Ms. Bryant
15 became acquainted with and then became friends with Defendant Councilmembers and dozens
16 of other activists and concerned citizens in grassroots meetings and events held to discuss the
17 impact of development on the City of Black Diamond many years ago, prior to any of them
19 As this brief will begin to explain, Ms. Bryant feels concerned that the request to appear
20 at a deposition is an attempt to cast her public participation in a negative light, but she did not
21 object to appearing at a deposition. Bryant Decl., 5. Ms. Bryant also offered a compromise to
7 Bryant Decl., 6. At no time did she refuse to appear at the deposition, but only asked
9 Ms. Bryant is a lay person who is volunteering as an activist for a cause she believes in;
10 she is not a lawyer familiar with the subpoena process. When her personal research revealed she
11 had a reasonable grounds to object to Plaintiffs subpoena, the time allowed by the court rules
12 was soon due to expire. There was no intention to delay any process. Id. Ms. Bryants objections,
13 while perhaps not exhaustive, certainly gave Plaintiff notice of the substance of her objections.
14 Id. Ms. Bryant has a home and family that she takes care of and is self-employed as a software
15 consultant. Time to review this subpoena and related issues has already resulted in loss of time
16 for her work and loss of income. Bryant Decl., 7. She estimates that it would take her 40 hours
17 to collect, review, and consider any responsive records. Bryant Decl., 8. Even without doing so,
18 if limited as she has requested to documents evidencing that she met with three or more Council
19 members at the same time and at the same place and discussed city business, without even
20 looking she can unequivocally state that she possesses no such documents. Id.
21 Further, Ms. Bryants objections reflected her concern that her good work is being
22 mischaracterized by a corporation doing land development in her home town. Ms. Bryants
23 volunteer efforts have had a positive effect over the years. Bryant Decl., 9. Her involvement and
24 that of other members of the public since 2010 has affected Plaintiffs land development plans.
25 Public participation and expert testimony regarding Plaintiffs projects showed that the
26 development was not always following all applicable regulations. Id. Citizen involvement in Black
27 Diamond has led to Hearing Examiner rulings that demonstrate this (see, e.g.,
2 1AThevillages.pdf
3 and
4 http://www.ci.blackdiamond.wa.us/Depts/CommDev/planning/The%20Villages%20Preliminary
5 %20Plat%20Phase%202%20Plat%20C_112514/The%20Villages%20PP2C%20Notice%20of%20D
6 ecision.pdf). Id.
7 Further, as Ms. Bryant has stated during public comment at council meetings, the
8 negative accusations directed at those who lobby council members or do homework to express
9 opposition to certain government proposals or land development issues has a chilling effect on
10 public participation. Bryant Decl., 10. These accusations do not deter her from working on the
11 issues, but she is concerned that it is affecting others. Id. Ms. Bryants comments appear to have
12 been given more validity as Plaintiffs subpoena suggests that Ms. Bryants exercise of her
13 fundamental rights to participate in government, engage with elected officials, and speak freely
15 This lawsuit alleges no claims against Ms. Bryant. The lawsuit does allege that
16 Councilmembers Erika Morgan, Pat Pepper and Brian Weber (Defendant Councilmembers)
17 violated the Washington Open Public Meetings Act, RCW 42.30, et seq., (the OPMA). In a proper
19 of all communications between the Defendant Councilmembers and Ms. Bryant that are
20 requested by the subpoena to Ms. Bryant (Requests #1-6). Plaintiffs subpoena further demands
21 documentation of any invoices paid for the benefit of the Defendant Councilmembers or for any
22 payments she has received from the Defendant Councilmembers (Requests #9-10). These last
23 requests are easily disposed of because there are no documents subject to Requests #9-10.
25 Plaintiffs remaining demands for document production include requests for Ms. Bryants
26 notes taken during City Council meetings (Request #7) and notes she took during any
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2 any time from 11/2015 to the present (Request #8). Bryant Decl., 12. Ms. Bryant objected to
3 the production of her personal notes and records as an impingement on her right to privacy in
4 her own impressions, writings and thoughts. If Plaintiff is allowed to invade Ms. Bryants personal
5 writings in this way, it would send the message that anyone who dared to participate by bringing
6 valuable, detailed research to a majority of the Council in this way would subject themselves to
7 the prospect of their personal notes, comments, communications and documents being hailed
9 Plaintiff alleges that Ms. Bryant and Mr. Derdowski acted as go-betweens or messengers
10 or facilitators so illegal secret meetings and action could occur, and then be translated and
11 conveyed in Daisy Chain fashion to another [Defendant Councilmember] to avoid them all three
12 being in the same room or on the same communication. These allegations implicitly admit that
13 Plaintiff has no evidence that all three Defendant Councilmembers were in the same room or
14 on the same communication in violation of the OPMA. Plaintiff has also not identified specific
15 Council votes across the long timeframe for the subpoenaed documents to demonstrate council
16 action that was the outcome of these alleged daisy-chain meetings (Plaintiff also does not clearly
18 Ms. Bryant is not opposed to advancing justice by making herself available for a
19 deposition. 2 Bryant Decl., 13. What she has objected to is Plaintiffs fishing expedition
20 searching for something that the voting record of Council, documents already produced, and
21 statements made by Council do not support: evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the
23 Councilmembers cannot establish any OPMA violations, Plaintiff should be required to articulate
24
25
1
Mr. Derdowski is also a private individual and not a party to this lawsuit.
26 2
Ultimately, Ms. Bryant has not objected to or expressed any reluctance in appearing for the
deposition on August 17th. Yet Plaintiffs motion both fails to mention this and actually informs the
27 court that she has refused.
3 There is a substantial burden imposed by the time it would require for her to go through
5 requests. Ms. Bryant, like several other people involved in Black Diamond politics, goes through
6 almost every item of City business and conducts research on it. To respond to this subpoena,
7 Ms. Bryant would have to first locate all the possible documents, read them, and then try to recall
8 whether she discussed or shared her thoughts with any of the Defendant Councilmembers.
9 Bryant Decl., 13. None of the documents will indicate an Open Meetings Act violation, if it is
10 even possible that Ms. Bryant could somehow create one. With regard to emails, due to mailbox
11 storage size limits, Ms. Bryants email retention does not go back in time as far as requested.
12 The effect of an overly broad subpoena going forwardincluding personal notes and
13 communication between private parties at substantial time and expense to a volunteer working
14 to effect changeresembles a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP suits) (see,
15 RCW 4.24.525). The harm sought to be cured by laws prohibiting SLAPP suits is to protect
16 individuals who make good faith reports to governmental bodies. Putting Ms. Bryant through
17 significant time and expense and revealing her personal documents publicly will have the effect
18 of reducing citizen participation and input in Black Diamond, and could be used an example to
20 Ms. Bryant has been singled out for public criticism during public meetings by the mayor
21 and some City Council members. Bryant Decl., 14. The issue is not simply political
22 disagreements, but the fact that Ms. Bryant works at a level of detail with regard to the issues
23 that most citizens do not have time to reach. Id. Sustained, well-informed, detailed participation
24 has been criticized and looked upon with suspicion. Id. Positive action such as building
25 relationships with elected officials and bringing them detailed, relevant, valuable information is
26 being discouraged. Id. The actual problem may be the positions supported by Ms. Bryant to
3 that have already been produced by parties to the lawsuit, and/or that are more
6 recorded recollections, and impressions, particularly when they do not have any
8 3. Should the subpoena be revised to request production of only documents that would
10 4. Should Ms. Bryant be entitled to recover her attorneys fees pursuant to CR 45?
12 This response in opposition to Plaintiffs motion relies upon the Declaration of Kristin
13 Bryant, the Declaration of Gail M. Luhn with exhibits thereto, and facts and authority cited herein.
14 V. AUTHORITY
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8
(C) the discovery is unduly burdensome or expensive, taking into
9 account the needs of the case, the amount in controversy, limitations on
the parties resources, and the importance of the issues at stake in the
10 litigation.
11 Ms. Bryant is not a party to this lawsuit and yet demands are being placed upon her to
12 produce documents that we believe Plaintiffs counsel has already obtained. Presumably, prior
13 to seeking documents from Ms. Bryant, Plaintiffs counsel made Requests for Production to the
14 City and Defendant Councilmembers for documents responsive to those sought by subpoena
15 from Ms. Bryant (specifically, any documents responsive to Requests #1-6). If so, any documents
16 in Ms. Bryants possession are duplicative. If not, CR 26(b)(1)(B) permits the court to deny
17 Plaintiffs motion to compel because the party seeking discovery has had ample opportunity by
18 discovery in the action to obtain the information sought. There is also some other source for
19 obtaining the documents that is more convenient for the parties in this case, and far less
20 burdensome for Ms. Bryant, a non-party, and that is from the defendants.
21 A court is also empowered to enter an order protecting a person from whom discovery
22 is sought by making any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from
24 seeks relief from Plaintiffs subpoena by way of an order providing that the documents sought
25 by Plaintiff not be produced. As discussed, the documents are duplicative, personal, and/or non-
26 existent. Further, by infringing on her right to petition the government, the requests are
27 oppressive.
20 ...
3 neighbors and other like-minded (and not like-minded) citizens that we learn, process, and
4 effect change in our society. The content of any communications between Ms. Bryant and Mr.
6 exchangeis not subject to public disclosure. It is private. If a quorum of the City Council were
7 present, if official business was discussed, and if action was taken, then it is relevant. Which is
8 why Ms. Bryants request to limit the scope of the subpoena is appropriate.
10 As discussed above, to establish an OPMA violation the Plaintiff must prove that a
11 quorum of the Black Diamond City Council (a quorum of the five-person council would be
12 established if all three of the Defendant Councilmembers were present) held a meeting at which
13 action or final action was taken. It would, therefore, seem quite sufficient for Plaintiff to
14 request copies of communications, notes or other recordings of meetings between Ms. Bryant
15 and three or more Councilmembers in the same place at the same time to discuss the official
16 business of the City of Black Diamond and that action was taken. So limited, Ms. Bryant would
18 If Ms. Bryant is nonetheless required to produce documents without revising the scope
19 of the subpoena, she estimates that it will require 40 hours to collect, review, consider whether
20 it was shared with anyone, and mark it for production if it was. Bryant Decl., 8. Given that, she
21 would also request that any document production not be required until August 11, 2017, which
25 The court rules recognize that a party or attorney that issues a subpoena is required to
26 avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person to whom the subpoena is directed:
2 counsel no later than August 11, 2017, and to order Plaintiff to reimburse Ms. Bryants attorneys
3 fees or, alternatively, to pay her 40 hours of wages to conduct review and production of the
4 limited documents.
5 I certify that this memorandum contains 4,187 words, including footnotes, in compliance
9
By: s/ Gail M. Luhn
10 GAIL M. LUHN, WSBA #27104
Attorney for Kristin Bryant
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12
DECLARATION OF SERVICE
13
The undersigned declares under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of
Washington that on this day she served a copy of the document to which this
declaration is attached, a copy of the Declaration of Kristen Bryant in Support of
14
Response/Cross-Motion, a copy of the Declaration of Gail M. Luhn, a copy of Ms.
15
Luhns Notice of Limited Appearance, and a copy of Ms. Bryants Proposed Order
in the manner noted below on the following counsel of record:
16
Michele Earl-Hubbard, WSBA #26454
17 Allied Law Group
PO Box 33744
18 Seattle, WA 98133
Attorney for Plaintiff
19
Jeff Taraday, WSBA #28182
Lighthouse Law Group PLLC
1100 Dexter Ave. #100
20
Seattle, WA 98019
21 Attorney for Defendants E. Morgan,
P. Pepper, and B. Weber
22
Shannon Ragonesi, WSBA #31951
23 Derek Chen, WBA #49723
Keating Bucklin & McCormack, Inc., P.S.
24 800 Fifth Ave. Ste. 4141
Seattle, WA 98104
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