Patricia Noonan, individually and in her capacity as of and on behalf of the beneficiaries of the Estate of William J. Noonan v. Sundersansan Sambandam, M.D.

Syllabus

The plaintiffs, Patricia Noonan, individually and in her capacity as Executrix of and on behalf of the beneficiaries of the Estate of William J. Noonan, Linda Byrne, Terri Pare, Karen LeCam, and Steven Noonan, filed a petition for a writ of certiorari seeking review of an order of the Superior Court granting the motion of the defendant, Sundaresan T. Sambandam, M.D., to compel production of a complete, unredacted copy of a settlement agreement between the plaintiffs and former codefendants who settled the plaintiffs' claims. The plaintiffs claimed that the trial justice abused her discretion in granting the motion to compel because the amount paid in accordance with the settlement agreement is not discoverable pursuant to Rule 26(b)(1) of the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure. <br><br>The Supreme Court concluded that the settlement amount would not be admissible evidence at trial pursuant to Rule 408 of the Rhode Island Rules of Evidence and also that the amount was not reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence as required by Rule 26(b)(1). The Court explained that the amount would become relevant only after a verdict was reached in the plaintiffs' favor in order to determine whether the defendant is entitled to an offset pursuant to the Uniform Contribution Among Tortfeasors Act, G.L. 1956 § 10-6-7. Therefore, the Court concluded that the settlement amount was not discoverable and that the trial justice abused her discretion in granting the defendant's motion to compel.<br><br>Accordingly, the Supreme Court quashed the decision of the Superior Court.<br><br>