Rule 13.140 Discovery

Here's a plain English summary of this rule:

When a case goes through arbitration, both sides can still gather evidence and information from each other, just like they would in a regular court case. The same discovery rules that apply in civil court also apply here. If there's a dispute about discovery, the arbitrator (not a judge) decides how to handle it.

The arbitrator has to think carefully about how much discovery to allow. They need to weigh what each side gains from getting more information against the time, hassle, and cost it takes to get that information. Discovery can be expensive and slow things down, so the arbitrator has to make sure it's actually worth it.

To make this decision, the arbitrator looks at a few things: how complicated the case is, how much money is at stake, and whether limiting discovery could unfairly blindside one side with a surprise at the hearing. Basically, the goal is to give people enough access to evidence to make their case fairly, without letting discovery turn into an expensive, drawn-out process that doesn't match the size or complexity of the dispute.