Roseville Community Hospital v. Superior Court

We issued a stay and an alternative writ of mandate commanding the respondent superior court to set aside its order of February 22, 1977, compelling the production of certain documents by petitioner (hereafter defendant) for examination by real parties in interest (hereafter plaintiff). The documents include minutes, records and tape recordings of certain staff committees and the board of directors of defendant in an action filed against it by plaintiff.

The action, filed January 18,1977, consists of a complaint for declaratory relief and money damages. It is based on allegations of (1) a controversy over rights and duties under a 1974 arbitration award and refusal of defendant to submit to further arbitration and (2) breach of the 1974 arbitration award resulting in money damages.

It is defendant’s position that the trial court erred as to all the items it ordered turned over to plaintiff, which had requested them under the general discovery procedures of Code of Civil Procedure section 2031. The items fall into two groups: (a) all written minutes, tapes or other magnetic recordings of the regular and special meetings of the executive committee of the medical staff of…