SB 235 brings California’s discovery statutes into closer alignment with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. SB 235 requires parties to provide initial disclosures within 60 days of a demand – rather than within 45 days of a court’s order to provide the disclosures after stipulation by the parties, as currently required. The bill also increases the mandatory sanctions for parties who fail to respond in good faith to discovery requests. Under prior law, the required sanction was $250, but SB 235 increases that amount to $1000.

Read more.