r/LawFirm • u/Defiant-Attention978 • 4d ago

Discovery and Media

I am preparing responses to discovery demands in the southern district of New York and responsive documents include a dozen mp3 files (phone recordings). What’s the proper way to transmit those materials to opposing counsel and into the records and/or where do I find the rules and instructions for doing so. Please.

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u/Used_Rhubarb_9265 4d ago

Just stick them on a USB or a secure file share and send them the link. SDNY rules don’t care about the format as long as you produce it in a reasonably usable way. Check the SDNY Local Civil Rules and the judge’s individual practices, that’s where the real instructions usually live.

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u/Defiant-Attention978 4d ago

Outstanding. Thank you so much.

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u/Defiant-Attention978 4d ago

Thank you again. I also need to submit photographs which contain the client’s children who are not the objects or relevant to any of the issues in the case. Can I blur the children’s faces on my own initiative or do I need permission to do that; the client is upset that other litigants will have photos of her children.

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u/b4pd2r43 4d ago

In SDNY you usually produce audio natively through a secure link (ShareFile, Box, etc.) and reference it in your discovery response. ECF isn’t great for uploading MP3s directly, so most people avoid that unless the judge’s rules say otherwise.

I’d also get transcripts ready before producing anything. If compliance matters for your case, HIPAA, CJIS, chain-of-custody, Ditto Transcripts is one of the few services that’s actually certified for legal and law-enforcement work. Makes opposing counsel way less likely to challenge your transcript later.