U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks, left, and U.S. Magistrate Judge William Matthewman, right, of the Southern District of Florida. Photos: Melanie Bell/J. Albert Diaz/ALM
A fraud lawsuit took a sharp U-turn after a federal magistrate judge in West Palm Beach entered spoliation sanctions against Hyundai Motor America Corp., putting the plaintiff in the hot seat for ridding itself of hundreds of engines that were among the basis of its complaint.
NSU Law Professor Robert Jarvis. Photo: Melanie Bell/ALM
It’s a development that shows in-house lawyers and outside counsel must understand it is not enough to send an evidence preservation email or letter, according to Robert M. Jarvis, a law school professor at Nova Southeastern University and ethics expert who is not involved in the litigation.
