Ex Parte Industrial Warehouse Services, Inc. (in Re: Chapman Wilson, as Administrator of the Estate of Janie Holt…

Summary

The court granted mandamus relief in part, holding that IWS showed good cause for protecting confidential and trade-secret information in its bills of lading but did not show that its operations and safety manuals qualified for protection. The court held that a movant may establish good cause through assertions and need not submit supporting evidence solely because the discovery is alleged to contain trade secrets or confidential information. Justice Mendheim, joined by Justice Bolin, would also protect the manuals, while Justice Wise would deny protection for the bills of lading and joined Justice Shaw's reasoning.