What is a motion to compel discovery?

• A. A filing to dismiss a case.
• B. A request for the court to order that missing or prohibited discovery be produced.
• C. A request for a new trial.
• D. A request to set bail.

Answer: (B)

A motion to compel discovery is a request to the court to force the other party to provide information or documents that are supposed to be disclosed under discovery rules. It comes up when one side has served discovery requests and the other side has not responded, has refused, or has given incomplete or improper answers. The motion lays out the specific requests, what responses were or weren’t provided, and explains why the responses are inadequate, asking the judge to issue an order requiring production, answers, or access to depositions. The court can also impose sanctions if the party fails to comply with the order. This is distinct from a motion to dismiss a case, a request for a new trial, or a bail request, each of which serves a different purpose.