# Cave v. Thurston

> District Court, E.D. Arkansas · October 22, 2021

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10006097

## Case

- **Court:** District Court, E.D. Arkansas
- **Decided:** October 22, 2021
- **Opinion:** 100trialcourt
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10006097

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- noting discriminatory intent is rarely susceptible to direct proof, and historical background is a proper source of inquiry in a due process case
- noting discriminatory intent is rarely susceptible to direct proof, and historical background is a proper source of inquiry in a due process case

## Opinion text

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS
CENTRAL DIVISION

DONNA CAVE, et al., PLAINTIFFS

EUGENE LEVY, et al., CONSOLIDATED PLAINTIFFS

THE SATANIC TEMPLE, et al., INTERVENORS

v. Case No. 4:18-cv-00342-KGB

JOHN THURSTON, Arkansas Secretary
of State, in his official capacity DEFENDANT

ORDER

Before the Court are two motions related to discovery in this matter. The Satanic Temple,
Lucien Greaves, and Erika Robbins (collectively “The Satanic Temple Intervenors” or “TSTI”)
filed a motion to compel discovery (Dkt. No. 120). John Thurston, Arkansas Secretary of State,
in his official capacity, filed a motion for an order to show cause and compel the Satanic Temple
to make court-ordered production of documents (Dkt. No. 124). The Court held a hearing on these
motions (Dkt. No. 134). The Court entered a short order granting, in part, and denying, in part,
each of the two motions related to discovery in this matter (Dkt. No. 145). This Order sets forth
its reasons.
I. Legal Standard
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(1) provides that “[p]arties may obtain discovery
regarding any nonprivileged matter that is relevant to any party’s claim or defense and proportional
to the needs of the case . . . .” Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(1). The Rule is construed broadly to encompass
“any matter that bears on, or that reasonably could lead to other matter that could bear on, any
issue that is or may be in the case.” Oppenheimer Fund, Inc. v. Sanders, 437 U.S. 340, 351 (1978)
(construing the same language that appeared in a prior version of Rule 26); see also Hofer v. Mack
Trucks, Inc., 981 F.2d 377, 380 (8th Cir. 1992) (Rule 26 “is liberal in scope and interpretation,
extending to those matters which are relevant and reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery
of admissible evidence”). The spirit of Rule 26(a) is that discovery be self-effectuating, without
need to resort to the Court, and that its scope be liberal, extending to all matters reasonably
calculated to lead to admissible evidence. This standard is well-ensconced and is generally known

and understood by civil practitioners. Hickman v. Taylor, 329 U.S. 495 (1947); Greyhound Lines,
Inc. v. Miller, 402 F.2d 134 (8th Cir. 1968); Carlson Cos., Inc. v. Sperry and Hutchinson Co., 374
F. Supp. 1080, 1100 (D. Minn. 1974); National Organization for Women, Inc. (NOW), St. Paul
Chapter v. Minnesota Min. & Mfg. Co., 73 F.R.D. 467 (D.C. Minn. 1977); see also Laker Airways
Ltd. v. Pan American World Airways, 103 F.R.D. 22 (D.C. Cir. 1984).
“Discovery rules are to be broadly and liberally construed in order to
fulfill discovery’s purposes of providing both parties with ‘information essential to the proper
litigation of all relevant facts, to eliminate surprise, and to promote settlement.’” Rollscreen Co.
v. Pella Products, 145 F.R.D. 92, 94 (S.D. Iowa 1992); see also Davis v. Union Pacific R.R. Co.,

Case No. 4:07-cv-000521 BSM, 2008 WL 3992761, at *2 (E.D. Ark. 2008) (“A request
for discovery should be considered relevant if there is ‘any possibility’ that the information sought
may be relevant to the claim or defense of any party.”); Moses v. Halstead, 236 F.R.D. 667, 671
(D. Kan. 2006) (same). Nevertheless, “there must be at least a ‘threshold showing of relevance’
before parties ‘are required to open wide the doors of discovery and to produce a variety of
information which does not reasonably bear upon the issues in the case.’” Kampfe v. Petsmart,
Inc., 304 F.R.D. 554, 557 (N.D. Iowa 2015) (quoting Hofer v. Mack Trucks, Inc., 981 F.2d 377,
380 (8th Cir. 1992)).
II. The Satanic Temple Intervenors’ Motion
TSTI propounded discovery requests to Secretary Thurston (Dkt. No. 120-1). TSTI
propounded discovery, to which the state responded with initial responses and supplemental
responses (Dkt. Nos. 120-4; 120-5). TSTI engaged in good faith negotiations in an effort to avoid
filing the motion to compel (Dkt. No. 120-6), agreeing to limit certain requests.

In good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit its discovery requests seeking
correspondence to only correspondence sent from General Assembly members or staff; TSTI
agreed that correspondence sent by the Governor or staff need not be provided (Dkt. No. 120-6).
TSTI agreed to limit its request for “meeting minutes” to “non-legislative meetings,” specifying
TSTI’s narrowed request as “meetings held between General Assembly members, or their staff,
and non-General Assembly members.” (Dkt. No. 120-6; First RFPs Nos. 14, 15). TSTI explained
that “[i]t is anticipated that these meeting minutes will shed light on the origins and purposes of
the two complained-of Acts.” (Dkt. No. 120-6). TSTI agreed to withdraw its request for notes
created by state employees pertaining to either Act (Dkt. No. 120-6; First RFPs Nos. 16, 17). TSTI

agreed to withdraw its request for CC&E forms (Dkt. No. 120-6; First RFPs No. 18).
According to TSTI, defendants opted to stand on their responses and objections (Dkt. No.
120, at 2).
TSTI’s motion to compel focuses on four topics of discovery, according to TSTI: (1)
“[c]orrespondence, including emails, sent from January 1, 2015 to present by General Assembly
members or their respective staff, pertaining to this litigation”; (2) “[s]tate-possessed governance
documents and tax documents related to the American Heritage and History Foundation (‘AHHF,’)
the State Sen. Rapert organization through which he fundraised and donated the monument”; (3)
“[s]tate-possessed governance documents and tax documents related to the National Association
of Christian Lawmakers (‘NACL,’) the State Sen. Rapert organization through which he proclaims
religious purposes behind actions as a legislator”; and (4) “[m]eeting minutes and notes, between
General Assembly members or their staff and non-General Assembly members, pertaining to the
Ten Commandments Monument Display Act and Act 274 of 2017. . . .” (Dkt. No. 120, at 1-2).
A. Overall Arguments

TSTI requests that this Court address the following overall arguments pertinent to the
parties’ discovery dispute.
(1) Possession of Documents
TSTI maintains: “The State claims not to possess state tax records, correspondence from
General Assembly members, or any documents ‘in the possession of the State of Arkansas or any
of its employees’ related to AHHF or NACL or their respective activities.” (Dkt. No. 120, at 3).
TSTI is concerned based on comments from defense counsel that defense counsel is taking the
position that only Secretary Thurston must respond about documents in his possession, not on
behalf of the State of Arkansas. TSTI emphasizes that Secretary Thurston is named as a defendant

in his official capacity and cites Kentucky v. Graham, 473 U.S. 159, 166 (1985), for the proposition
that “an official-capacity suit is, in all respects other than name, to be treated as a suit against the
entity. It is not a suit against the official personally, for the real party in interest is the entity.”
(Id.).
Having reviewed the briefing and inquired of counsel during argument, the Court is unclear
as to what position Secretary Thurston takes with respect to this issue. Initially, he asserts that
TSTI is incorrect, that the State of Arkansas is not the defendant, and that instead the defendant
“is, plainly, Secretary Thurston is his official capacity.” (Dkt. No. 123, at 3). Secretary Thurston
later makes this statement in his filing: “Further, even if the State of Arkansas were a defendant
in this action, then because sovereign immunity is immunity to suit, that doctrine would absolutely
preclude the State from being compelled to respond to discovery.” (Dkt. No. 123, at 3). The cases
that Secretary Thurston cites for this statement do not involve discovery nor do they involve cases
with claims similar to the claims asserted here.
“A suit against a state official in his or her official capacity is not a suit against the official

but rather is a suit against the official’s office. Brandon v. Holt, 469 U.S. 464, 471 (1985). As
such, it is no different from a suit against the State itself.” Will v. Michigan Dep’t of State Police,
491 U.S. 58, 71 (1989) (citations omitted).
The Eleventh Amendment establishes a general prohibition of suits in federal court by a
citizen of a state against his state or an officer or agency of that state. Pennhurst State Sch. &
Hosp. v. Halderman, 465 U.S. 89, 100 (1984). However, there are exceptions to this rule.
Relevant here, a suit against a state official may go forward in the limited circumstances identified
by the Supreme Court in Ex Parte Young. Under the Ex Parte Young doctrine, a private party can
sue a state officer in his official capacity to enjoin a prospective action that would violate federal

law. In determining whether this exception applies, a court conducts “a straightforward inquiry
into whether [the] complaint alleges an ongoing violation of federal law and seeks relief properly
characterized as prospective.” Verizon Maryland, Inc. v. Pub. Serv. Comm'n of Maryland, 535
U.S. 635, 645 (2002) (alteration in original) (internal quotation omitted). Here, there is no dispute
that the relief plaintiffs seek is prospective and that they have alleged Secretary Thurston, in his
official capacity, is engaged in an ongoing violation of federal law. See 281 Care Comm. v.
Arneson, 638 F.3d 621, 632 (8th Cir. 2011).
Secretary Thurston also asserts that he “does not have possession, custody, or control of
the vast majority of the records” that TSTI seeks to compel (Dkt. No. 123, at 2). Secretary
Thurston maintains that he is “not the custodian of correspondence, notes, or other material for the
General Assembly, the Governor, and certainly not for ‘the State of Arkansas’ and ‘its
employees.’” (Id.).
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34(a) permits any party to serve on any other party a
request to produce and to allow the party making the request, or someone acting on the party’s

behalf, to inspect and copy any designated documents or things that contain matters within the
scope of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b) that are in the possession, custody, or control of
the party upon whom the request is served. The Court observes that these three words are separated
by “or,” not “and.” Only one of the three must exist to permit discovery. Documents are “‘deemed
to be within the ‘possession, custody, or control’. . . if the party has actual possession, custody or
control, or has the legal right to obtain the documents on demand.’” Prokosch v. Catalina Lighting,
Inc., 193 F.R.D. 633, 636 (D. Minn. 2000) (quoting In re Bankers Trust Co., 61 F.3d 465, 469 (6th
Cir. 1995)); see also In re Hallmark Cap. Corp., 534 F. Supp. 2d 981, 982 (D. Minn. 2008).
“[C]ontrol is defined as ‘the legal right, authority, or ability to obtain upon demand

documents in the possession of another.’” Id. (internal citation omitted). Because courts also
require production if the party has the practical ability to obtain the documents from another
“irrespective of his legal entitlement to the documents,” “‘control’ does not require that the party
have legal ownership or actual physical possession of the documents at issue; rather documents
are considered to be under a party’s control when that party has the right, authority, or practical
ability to obtain the documents from a non-party to the action.” Id. (citations omitted). Applying
the concept of “control” is “often highly fact-specific.” 8A Wright, Miller & Marcus, Federal
Practice and Procedure § 2210, at p. 397 (2d ed. 1994).
The Court has reviewed Secretary Thurston’s objections and will make specific rulings as
to those discovery requests that are the subject of the motion to compel.
Generally, to the extent Secretary Thurston maintains that he does not have possession,
custody, or control over a document sought by TSTI in discovery, Secretary Thurston is directed
to state explicitly in his objection to the document request that he is not in possession, custody, or

control of the document or category of documents being sought by the request and must so state
specifically in relation to that document or category of documents; blanket objections on this basis
to a request are inappropriate at this stage of the litigation. Neither TSTI nor the Court should be
left to guess as to which document Secretary Thurston claims this objection.
Further, if Secretary Thurston has in his possession, custody, or control documents that are
responsive to TSTI’s discovery requests, the Court fails to understand the legal basis on which
Secretary Thurston claims that he lacks possession, custody, or control over the document. If
Secretary Thurston intends to take this position in response to a discovery request for a document
in his possession, custody, or control, he must make explicit to TSTI and the Court that he has

responsive documents in his possession, custody, or control but persists in taking this position. He
must comply with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order and log documents
on a privilege log that complies with this Court’s Order. Secretary Thurston also must cite the
specific legal authority providing the basis for his objection and his claimed legal position.
If Secretary Thurston takes the position in response to the document request that he is not
in possession, custody, or control of the document or category of documents, Secretary Thurston
must state the document’s or category of documents’ present location and the identity and position
of its custodian or must affirm that he does not have knowledge to provide this information.
(2) Legislative Privilege
TSTI asserts that “[t]he State claims legislative privilege to emails pertaining to this
litigation.” (Dkt. No. 120, at 3). TSTI cites Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 508
U.S. 520, 540 (1993), for the proposition that “statements made by members of the decision
making body are relevant to determine whether religious animus is at play.” (Id.). TSTI further

maintains that “the state legislative privilege is a qualified one. . . when a plaintiff proceeds against
the State and seeks evidence to vindicate important public rights guaranteed by federal law.” (Id.
(quoting Bethune-Hill v. Va. State Bd. Of Elections, 114 F.Supp.3d 323, 336 (E.D. Va. 2015)).
Secretary Thurston asserts that he “is not the custodian of the General Assembly’s
correspondence. But—to the extent that Secretary Thurston may possess any correspondence to
or from legislators concerning the intent of legislative acts—the Satanic Temple’s demands raise
knotty legislative-privilege issues.” (Dkt. No. 123, at 6). The privilege does not belong to
Secretary Thurston; it belongs to members of the General Assembly and perhaps their staff
members. The privilege can be waived. The Court is aware of no authority that the privilege is

absolute, and courts that have addressed the privilege do not agree on its scope. The legislative
privilege does not provide Secretary Thurston with a basis to refuse to respond to discovery
requests. Even recognizing this, the Court observes the following with respect to this issue, noting
that no party before the Court has properly invoked the legislative privilege as a basis to withhold
information or documents sought through discovery in this matter.
The Court will apply federal law of privilege. Federal Rule of Evidence 501 provides:
Except as otherwise required. . .the privilege of a witness, person, government,
State or political subdivision thereof shall be governed by the principles of common
law as they may be interpreted by the courts of the United States in light of reason
and experience. . . . However, in civil actions and proceedings, with respect to an
element of a claim or defense as to which State law supplies the rule of decision,
the privilege of a witness, person, government, State or political subdivision thereof
shall be determined in accordance with State law.

Fed. R. Evid. 501.

Courts that have addressed the issue in cases based on federal question jurisdiction have
routinely applied federal privilege law. See Hollins v. Powell, 773 F.2d 191, 196 (8th Cir.
1985); Doe v. Nebraska, 788 F. Supp. 2d 975, 981–82 (D. Neb. 2011); Geissal v. Moore Medical
Corp., 192 F.R.D. 620, 623 (E.D. Mo. 2000). This Court has federal question jurisdiction and will
apply the federal law of privilege.
Next, the Court observes that a number of cases, particularly those involving potential
violations of constitutional rights, have allowed queries into legislators’ motivations. See South
Dakota Farm Bureau Inc. v. Hazeltine, 340 F.3d 583, 594–96 (8th Cir. 2003) (reviewing meeting
notes and materials to determine whether a discriminatory intent existed); see also Village of
Arlington Heights v. Metro. Hous. Dev. Corp., 429 U.S. 252, 268 (1977) (noting it may be
appropriate to examine legislative motivations); Hayden v. Paterson, 594 F.3d 150, 163 (2d Cir.
2010) (noting discriminatory intent is rarely susceptible to direct proof, and historical background
is a proper source of inquiry in a due process case); Bethune-Hill, 114 F. Supp. 3d at 336. These
cases address constitutional rights in which legislative intent was at issue. The Court has not
resolved in this case whether and, if so, to what extent it will permit discovery to be withheld based
on a claim of legislative privilege.
With respect to a claim of legislative privilege specifically, the Court has reviewed and
cites the parties to the well-reasoned decision of Doe v. Nebraska, 788 F. Supp. 2d at 981–82, in
which the court explained in regard to legislative privilege as applied to state legislators:
[I]n most cases the only evidentiary legislative privilege regarding the production
of documents available to state legislators (and other local government officials) is
a very narrow and qualified one, sometimes referred to as a “deliberative process
privilege.” See In re Grand Jury, 821 F.2d 946, 958–59 (3d Cir. 1987); Kay, 2003
WL 25294710 at *8–9; Rodriguez, 280 F.Supp.2d at 95–6; Newport Pacific Inc. v.
County of San Diego, 200 F.R.D. 628, 637–639 (S.D. Cal. 2001); Manzi v.
DiCarlo, 982 F. Supp. 125 (E.D. N.Y. 1997); Florida Assn. of Rehabilitation
Facilities, Inc. v. State of Florida Dept. of Health and Rehabilitative Services, 164
F.R.D. 257, 266–68 (N.D. Fla. 1995); Corporacion Insular de Seguros v.
Garcia, 709 F. Supp. 288 (D. Puerto Rico 1989).

. . . Courts evaluating whether to apply the deliberative process privilege generally
treat it as a qualified privilege and only protect documents from discovery after
applying a balancing test based on the following factors: “(1) the relevance of the
evidence; (2) the availability of other evidence; (3) the government’s role in the
litigation; and (4) the extent to which disclosure would hinder frank and
independent discussion regarding contemplated policies and decisions.”
Qamhiyah, 245 F.R.D. at 396 (quoting F.T.C. v. Warner Communications,
Inc., 742 F.2d 1156, 1161 (9th Cir. 1984)); see also Rodriguez, 280 F.Supp.2d at
101 (quoting In re Franklin Nat'l Bank Secs. Litig., 478 F. Supp. 577, 583 (E.D.
N.Y. 1979)).

. . .

This court agrees with the reasoning of many courts that have held any legislative
privilege regarding the production of documents available to state legislators is a
qualified “deliberative process privilege.” Kay, 2003 WL 25294710 at *15–
17; Newport Pacific Inc., 200 F.R.D. at 637–639; Rodriguez, 280 F.Supp.2d at 95–
96; Manzi, 982 F. Supp. at 129; Corporacion Insular, 709 F. Supp. at 296; Florida
Assn. of Rehabilitation Facilities, Inc., 164 F.R.D. at 266–68. . . .

The Court finds this decision well-reasoned but recognizes that the Court has not heard from the
appropriate parties who hold and have standing to assert the privilege. The Court invites briefing
within 45 days from the entry of this Order from the appropriate parties who hold and have
standing to assert the privilege and wish to assert it as to specific documents in this case.
(3) No Privilege Log
According to TSTI, Secretary Thurston engages in a strained reading of the discovery
requests to mount a challenge based on requests that purportedly seek materials Secretary Thurston
alleges may be covered by the attorney-client privilege and the work-product doctrine (Dkt. No.
123, at 7). TSTI requests that, to the extent the State is withholding documents under a claim of
privilege, it produce a privilege log (Dkt. No. 120, at 3). The Court agrees with TSTI’s request
for a privilege log.
Secretary Thurston is directed to state explicitly in his objection to the document request
that he is withholding specific documents from production based on a claim of attorney-client
privilege or the work-product doctrine or the deliberative process privilege; blanket objections on

this basis to a request are inappropriate at this stage of the litigation. To the extent Secretary
Thurston is withholding specific documents in response to the request for production based on a
claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the deliberative process
privilege, Secretary Thurston must produce a privilege log in accord with this Court’s Order. If
Secretary Thurston is not withholding documents from production based on a claim of attorney-
client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the deliberative process privilege, he must
withdraw this objection to the document request.
If any document is withheld from production or disclosure based on a claim of
confidentiality under the attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the deliberative

process privilege, Secretary Thurston shall, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
26(b)(5)(A), for each document withheld, disclose a description of the document with as much
specificity as is practicable without disclosing its contents, including:
(a) the general nature of the document;

(b) the identity and position of its author;

(c) the date it was written;

(d) the identity and position of its addressee;

(e) the identities and positions of all persons who were given or have received
copies of it and the dates copies were received by them;

(f) the document’s present location and the identity and position of its custodian;
(g) the specific request for production or requests for production to which Secretary
Thurston maintains the document is responsive; and

(h) the specific reason or reasons why it has been withheld from production or
disclosure.

See Doe v. Nebraska, 788 F. Supp. 2d at 983–87 (explaining this practice in relation to privilege
logs).
Upon receiving Secretary Thurston’s privilege log, TSTI may then confer in good faith to
resolve any remaining dispute regarding the production of a document or documents, and if it
cannot be resolved, TSTI may then move to compel production of specific documents identified
on the privilege log. Secretary Thurston has 30 days from the entry of this Order to produce a
privilege log in compliance with the terms of this Order.
(4) Relevance
Generally, the party resisting production or objecting to discovery on the grounds of
relevancy carries the burden to sustain the objection. St. Paul Reinsurance Co., Ltd. v. Commercial
Financial Corp., 198 F.R.D. 508, 511 (N.D. Iowa 2000); Kramer v. Boeing Co., 126 F.R.D. 690,
692–93 (D. Minn. 1989). Relevancy is a difficult objection upon which to prevail during
the discovery phase of an action. “[D]iscovery may not be had on matters irrelevant to the subject
matter involved in the pending action . . . , and even if relevant, discovery is not permitted where
no need is shown, or compliance would be unduly burdensome, or where harm to the person from
whom discovery is sought outweighs the need of the person seeking discovery of the information.”
Miscellaneous Docket Matter #1 v. Miscellaneous Docket Matter #2, 197 F.3d 922, 925 (8th Cir.
1999) (internal quotation and citation omitted); see also Pointer v. DART, 417 F.3d 819, 821 (8th
Cir. 2005) (“A subpoena must also seek relevant information” (citing Roberts v. Shawnee Mission
Ford, Inc., 352 F.3d 358, 360-62 (8th Cir. 2003))). The party opposing the motion to compel must
provide specific explanations or factual support as to how each request is improper. St. Paul
Reinsurance Co., 198 F.R.D. at 511-12.
Secretary Thurston asserts that TSTI seeks “production of items that are variously outside
the scope of discovery, of vanishingly slight importance (if any) to resolving the issues in this
action, and irrelevant to any party’s claim or defense. . . .” (Dkt. No. 123, at 3). TSTI asserts that

Secretary Thurston regularly raises relevance as an issue with respect to certain requested
materials.
(i) Correspondence
TSTI maintains that correspondence sent from the General Assembly members or their
respective staff around the time of the complained-of Acts would tend to shed light on whether the
purpose behind the Acts was to promote Christianity or denigrate Satanism (Dkt. No. 120, at 1, 4).
Having considered the entire record before the Court, at this stage of the litigation the Court
overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objections to discovery requests and the production of
documents within his possession, custody, or control seeking specific correspondence as set forth

in this Order.
(ii) AHHF
The AHHF is connected to the case because it donated the Ten Commandments monument
at issue, according to TSTI (Dkt. No. 120, at 1). TSTI maintains that state-possessed governance
documents and tax documents related to AHHF are relevant. The tax records, including any
charity applications and charity disclosures, and state-filed governance records will provide a more
complete picture of the purposes of the AHHF, according to TSTI. TSTI argues that, if the AHHF
is religious or predominately fundraised from religious organizations, then that tends to establish
that the monument is also religious (Dkt. No. 120, at 4 (citing Felix v. City of Bloomfield, 847 F.3d
1214 (10th Cir. 2017)).
Having considered the entire record before the Court, at this stage of the litigation the Court
overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objections to discovery requests and the production of
documents within his possession, custody, or control seeking tax records, including any charity

applications and charity disclosures, and state-filed governance records for AHHF.
(iii) NACL
The NACL’s stated mission is to enact religious legislation for the purpose of providing
Christianity preferential treatment to all other religions, according to TSTI (Dkt. No. 120, at 4).
Two founding members of the NACL are Arkansas State Senator Rapert and Arkansas State
Representative Hammer who introduced the two complained-of Acts and are directors of the
AHHF. In argument before the Court, Secretary Thurston maintained that the creation of NACL
post-dates the discussion surrounding and enactment of the challenged legislation, post-dates the
placement of the Ten Commandments Monument, and post-dates the filing of this litigation. TSTI

argues that, if Senator Rapert created the NACL with the base purpose to create proselytizing
legislation and if the NACL is religious, then that tends to suggest that the prior campaign resulting
in the Ten Commandments Monument was also religious.
Having considered the entire record before the Court, at this stage of the litigation the Court
overrules the relevance objection and will allow some leeway during discovery with respect to the
NACL, given the arguments of TSTI as to its relevance to the claims and defenses in this case.
(5) Proportionality
A party claiming requests are unduly burdensome cannot make conclusory allegations, but
the party must provide some evidence regarding the time or expense required. See Horizon
Holdings, L.L.C. v. Genmar Holdings, Inc., 209 F.R.D. 208, 213 (D. Kan. 2002).
Secretary Thurston claims that TSTI’s discovery requests are overbroad and unduly

burdensome (Dkt. No. 123, at 4). In his filing, he takes issue with being provided key words for
electronic searches with respect to requests for correspondence (Id., at 4-5). Secretary Thurston
submits that “[t]he undue burden and excessive expense of the discovery demanded in these
requests far outweighs their likely benefit.” (Id., at 5). In other places in his filing, Secretary
Thurston identifies “the requested discovery’s significant volume—an estimated 15,000 pages”
(Dkt. No. 123, at 7), indicating to this Court that, in the approximately 45 days between the date
the requests were propounded and objections were provided, Secretary Thurston was able to
undertake steps to comply with the discovery request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before

this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already
run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents. For these reasons, the
Court overrules the proportionality objection on the record before it.
(6) Blanket Objections
TSTI maintains that, despite having claimed privilege on substantially all of the requested
materials, Secretary Thurston lodges a generic objection to 13 of the 19 requests propounded by
TSTI, stating as follows:
Although Defendant has not yet identified any item responsive to this request that
has been withheld on the basis of privilege, Defendant objects, and reserves all
objections, on the basis of attorney-client privilege and attorney work product
doctrine, as well as legislative privilege to the extent that the request implicates
items or information that might be or become covered by any legislator’s assertion
of that privilege. Defendant will supplement his response if appropriate.

(Dkt. No. 120, at 4-5). TSTI challenges the assertion of this privilege.
Blanket objections on this basis to a request are inappropriate at this stage of the litigation.
If any document is withheld from production or disclosure based on a claim of confidentiality
under the attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the deliberative process
privilege, Secretary Thurston shall, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(b)(5)(A) and
in compliance with this Order, within 30 days from the entry of this Order produce a privilege log
that complies with this Order.
B. Specific Document Requests Subject To Motion
With respect to the specific requests for production that are the subject of TSTI’s motion
to compel, the Court rules as follows.
(1) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 1

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 1 and modifies it accordingly. To the extent TSTI believes this Court
misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general
relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already

run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(2) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 2

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 2 and modifies it to require production of correspondence responsive to
Request No. 2 sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from
any General Assembly Member, General Assembly Member staff, the Secretary of State, or
Secretary of State staff, excluding that sent by the Governor or staff. To the extent TSTI believes
this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this
request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general
relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document

sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already
run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent

with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(3) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 3

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 3 and modifies it to require production of correspondence responsive to
Request No. 3 sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from
any General Assembly Member, General Assembly Member staff, the Secretary of State, or
Secretary of State staff, excluding that sent by the Governor or staff. To the extent TSTI believes
this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this
request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general
relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.

Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already
run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from

production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(4) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 4

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 4 and modifies it to require production of correspondence responsive to
Request No. 4 sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from
any General Assembly Member, General Assembly Member staff, the Secretary of State, or
Secretary of State staff, excluding that sent by the Governor or staff. To the extent TSTI believes
this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this
request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general

relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already
run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that

would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(5) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 5

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 5 and modifies it to require production of correspondence responsive to
Request No. 5 sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from
any General Assembly Member, General Assembly Member staff, the Secretary of State, or
Secretary of State staff, excluding that sent by the Governor or staff. To the extent TSTI believes
this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this

request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general
relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already

run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing
in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(6) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 6

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation on Request No. 6 and modifies it to require production of correspondence responsive to
Request No. 2 sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from
any General Assembly Member, General Assembly Member staff, the Secretary of State, or
Secretary of State staff, excluding that sent by the Governor or staff. To the extent TSTI believes
this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel as to this
request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection. Aside from a general
relevance objection, Secretary Thurston takes no specific issue with the search terms proposed by
TSTI, and therefore, no ruling is required by the Court on the search terms proposed by TSTI.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. TSTI provided search terms, and indications are that Secretary Thurston has already
run these searches electronically to gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing

in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that
would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(7) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 7

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit requests seeking
correspondence to that sent by General Assembly members or staff, stating that correspondence
sent by the Governor or staff need not be included (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this
limitation and certain others on Request No. 7 and modifies it to require production of
correspondence that relates to The Satanic Temple or its activities, the Ten Commandments
Monument, the Baphomet Monument, or this litigation sent or received during the period
beginning January 1, 2015, to present to or from any General Assembly Member or General
Assembly Member staff or the Secretary of State or Secretary of State staff. To the extent TSTI
believes this Court misunderstands its proposed limitation, TSTI may renew its motion to compel
as to this request.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. Indications are that Secretary Thurston has already run these searches electronically to

gauge the scope and volume of documents. There is nothing in the record before the Court to
demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of
these potentially responsive documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(8) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 8

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
Secretary Thurston asserts that, because the request seeks items that constitute public
records, equally available and accessible to both parties, the request is objectionable. His objection
suggests that he need not produce responsive documents. District courts in the Eighth Circuit have
explicitly rejected the position that the production of publicly available documents cannot or
should not be compelled through discovery. See CRST Expedited, Inc. v. Swift Transportation Co.
of Arizona, LLC, 328 F.R.D. 231, 237 (N.D. Iowa 2018); Transamerica Life Ins. Co. v. Lincoln
Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 255 F.R.D. 645, 652 (N.D. Iowa 2009); see also CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Allied
Mortg. Grp., Inc., Case No. 4:10CV01863 JAR, 2012 WL 1554908, at *4 (E.D. Mo. May 1, 2012)
(requiring production of publicly available information because defendant was in the best position

to identify information responsive to the discovery request). As such, this Court finds that
the public availability of the documents does not preclude Secretary Thurston from being required
to produce the documents, if the requests are otherwise proper. The Court overrules this objection.
Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent with the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order to the extent required by his response.
(9) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 9

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
The Court grants, in part, and denies, in part, Secretary Thurston’s proportionality
objection on the record before this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to
demonstrate the work plan, cost, time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of
these potentially responsive documents. However, the Court determines that at this stage TSTI
may request production of the documents submitted to create the articles of incorporation, the
articles of incorporation, and the mission statement/statement of purpose. The Court determines
on the record before it that TSTI’s request for franchise tax annual reports, charity designations,
and charity reports are not proportional to the needs of discovery in this case, given the Court’s
understanding that NACL would not have generated these types of reports until after the events
giving rise to this litigation and until after this litigation commenced.
Secretary Thurston asserts that, because the request seeks items that constitute public
records, equally available and accessible to both parties, the request is objectionable. His objection
suggests that he need not produce responsive documents. District courts in the Eighth Circuit have
explicitly rejected the position that the production of publicly available documents cannot or
should not be compelled through discovery. See CRST Expedited, Inc. v. Swift Transportation Co.

of Arizona, LLC, 328 F.R.D. 231, 237 (N.D. Iowa 2018); Transamerica Life Ins. Co. v. Lincoln
Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 255 F.R.D. 645, 652 (N.D. Iowa 2009); see also CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Allied
Mortg. Grp., Inc., Case No. 4:10CV01863 JAR, 2012 WL 1554908, at *4 (E.D. Mo. May 1, 2012)
(requiring production of publicly available information because defendant was in the best position
to identify information responsive to the discovery request). As such, this Court finds that
the public availability of the documents does not preclude Secretary Thurston from being required
to produce the documents, if the requests are otherwise proper. The Court overrules this objection.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the

deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(10) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 10

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(11) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 11

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,

time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(12) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 12

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules, in part, Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record
before this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan,
cost, time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents. However, Request No. 12 is unlimited in time and very broad in scope, seeking “all
documents in the possession of the State of Arkansas or any of its employees.” The Court imposes
a time limit on and narrows the scope of this request. The Court modifies Request No. 12 to
require production of all documents sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015,
to present to or from any General Assembly Member or General Assembly Member staff or the
Secretary of State or Secretary of State staff that relates to AHHF or its activities.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent

with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(13) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 13

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules, in part, Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record
before this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan,
cost, time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents. However, Request No. 13 is unlimited in time and very broad in scope, seeking “all
documents in the possession of the State of Arkansas or any of its employees.” The Court imposes
a time limit on and narrows the scope of this request. The Court modifies Request No. 13 to
require production of all documents sent or received during the period beginning January 1, 2015,
to present to or from any General Assembly Member or General Assembly Member staff or the
Secretary of State or Secretary of State staff that relates to NACL or its activities.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(14) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 14

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit Request No. 14 to
“meetings held between General Assembly members, or their staff, and non-General Assembly
members.” (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this limitation on Request No. 14 and
modifies it accordingly.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document
sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.

(15) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 15

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to limit Request No. 15 to
“meetings held between General Assembly members, or their staff, and non-General Assembly
members.” (Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this limitation on Request No. 15 and
modifies it accordingly.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
Secretary Thurston is directed to follow this Court’s Order in supplementing his response
with respect to any claim that he does not have possession, custody, or control over a document

sought by this request for production.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.

(16) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 16

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to withdraw Request No. 16
(Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this modification and determines that, given the
modification, the Court need not reach any remaining issues with respect to Request No. 16. To
the extent TSTI seeks further ruling from the Court on Request No. 16, TSTI may renew its motion.
(17) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 17

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed withdraw Request No. 17
(Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this modification and determines that, given the
modification, the Court need not reach any remaining issues with respect to Request No. 17. To
the extent TSTI seeks further ruling from the Court on Request No. 17, TSTI may renew its motion.
(18) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s First Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 18

In its effort to engage in good faith negotiations, TSTI agreed to withdraw Request No. 18
(Dkt. No. 120-6, at 1). The Court imposes this modification and determines that, given the
modification, the Court need not reach any remaining issues with respect to Request No. 18. To
the extent TSTI seeks further ruling from the Court on Request No. 18, TSTI may renew its motion.
(19) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s Second Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 1

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(20) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s Second Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 2

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s proportionality objection on the record before
this Court. There is nothing in the record before the Court to demonstrate the work plan, cost,
time, or personnel hours that would be devoted to a review of these potentially responsive
documents.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent

with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
(21) Defendants’ Responses to Intervenor’s Second Requests for
Production of Documents -- Request No. 3

The Court overrules Secretary Thurston’s relevance objection.
To the extent Secretary Thurston contends that responsive documents have already been
produced in discovery, he must disclose by Bates number, category, or type in response to this
request the responsive documents he believes have already been produced.
Secretary Thurston asserts that, because the request seeks items equally available and
accessible to both parties, the request is objectionable. His objection suggests that he need not
produce responsive documents. District courts in the Eighth Circuit have explicitly rejected the
position that the production of publicly available documents cannot or should not be compelled
through discovery. See CRST Expedited, Inc. v. Swift Transportation Co. of Arizona, LLC, 328
F.R.D. 231, 237 (N.D. Iowa 2018); Transamerica Life Ins. Co. v. Lincoln Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 255
F.R.D. 645, 652 (N.D. Iowa 2009); see also CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Allied Mortg. Grp., Inc., Case
No. 4:10CV01863 JAR, 2012 WL 1554908, at *4 (E.D. Mo. May 1, 2012)
(requiring production of publicly available information because defendant was in the best position
to identify information responsive to the discovery request). As such, this Court finds that
the public availability of the documents does not preclude Secretary Thurston from being required
to produce the documents, if the requests are otherwise proper. The Court overrules this objection.
To the extent any document in Secretary Thurston’s possession is withheld from
production on the basis of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the
deliberative process privilege, Secretary Thurston is required to produce a privilege log consistent
with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and this Court’s Order.
III. Secretary Thurston’s Motion For An Order To Show Cause And Compel

Secretary Thurston contends that TSTI has failed to comply with this Court’s March 1,
2020, and March 11, 2020, rulings to provide specific items responsive to Secretary Thurston’s
discovery requests (Dkt. No. 124, at 1). Secretary Thurston seeks an Order to show cause why
TSTI should not receive a discovery sanction or be held in contempt and that the Court compel
TSTI to produce the records (Id.).
A. Requests For Production Nos. 1 And 3
The Court denies Secretary Thurston’s current motion to compel responses to Request for
Production No. 3. Request for Production No. 3 which seeks tax returns is directed to TSTI as
written, not to TSTI and its affiliates. There has been discussion among Secretary Thurston and

TSTI about which affiliates, if any, constitute TSTI. The Court understands there may be three or
there may be four affiliates that constitute TSTI, depending upon which party is responding to the
inquiry (Dkt. No. 123, at 3-4).
During the March 11, hearing, the Court directed that Secretary Thurston propound new
requests for production specifically seeking tax returns for the years he seeks to specify from the
affiliates he seeks to specify, so as to avoid the Court making rulings on discovery requests not
actually propounded in writing with the party receiving the request having no adequate time to
respond and lodge objections, if appropriate. The Court did not orally modify Request for
Production No. 3 as Secretary Thurston contends; the Court directed that new requests for
production seeking such information be propounded by Secretary Thurston. The motion for an
order to show cause and compel with respect to Request for Production No. 3 is denied. The Court
does not understand that Secretary Thurston seeks from this Court a reconsidered ruling on
Request for Production No. 2.
Secretary Thurston also takes issue with the corporate governance documents produced by

TSTI in response to Request for Production No. 1, but he seems to suggest that some documents
were produced (Dkt. No. 124, at 4-5). It is unclear to the Court what Secretary Thurston seeks
with regard to Request for Production No. 1 or how he contends TSTI’s response to this request is
deficient. For example, the Court is uncertain whether Secretary Thurston now seeks corporate
governance documents for TSTI and its affiliates that constitute TSTI (Dkt. No. 124, at 10),
without ever having received from the Court modification of this request or propounding a specific
request directed to TSTI and its affiliates that constitute TSTI. The Court takes this request by
Secretary Thurston under advisement and seeks further clarification from Secretary Thurston on
his motion to compel response to Request for Production No. 1.

B. Requests For Production Nos. 8 And 9
Secretary Thurston seeks in Requests for Production Nos. 8 and 9 correspondence between
TSTI’s managers and TSTI’s local participants. TSTI objects based on relevance and on the
qualified associational privilege. According to TSTI, associational standing does not turn on
whether an organization had a preexisting presence in the State before the Ten Commandments
Monument went up. TSTI also asserts that efforts TSTI put forth or failed to put forth to enact
legislation are not at issue in this litigation. Instead, according to TSTI, the issue is whether the
Ten Commandments Monument is religious in nature and what the intent of the Arkansas General
Assembly was in enacting the challenged legislation. Further, TSTI maintains that the discovery
requests are intended to harass and chill TSTI’s rights of association and speech.
At this stage of the litigation and for discovery purposes only, the Court overrules TSTI’s
relevance objection. However, the request as written is objectionable because it is unlimited in
time. The Court imposes the modification sought by Secretary Thurston and limits Requests Nos.

8 and 9 to the requested correspondence taking place between January 1, 2015, and this Court’s
grant of the Satanic Temple’s amended motion to intervene on December 17, 2018 (Dkt. No. 124,
at 12).
To the extent any document in TSTI’s possession is withheld from production on the basis
of a claim of attorney-client privilege or the work-product doctrine or the qualified associational
privilege, TSTI is required to produce a privilege log consistent with the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure and this Court’s Order. If a document or documents are withheld from production based
on the qualified associational privilege, the Court will revisit the issue of whether that privilege
protects from disclosure through discovery the claimed document or documents; the Court reserves

ruling on this issue.
C. Request For Production No. 10
Secretary Thurston seeks in his Request for Production No. 10 documents regarding
remarks at the unveiling of the Baphomet Monument in Detroit, Michigan, on July 25, 2015. The
Court is satisfied that TSTI has no other information or documents responsive to this request based
on TSTI’s written discovery responses, the representation that Secretary Thurston was permitted
to obtain deposition testimony with respect to the matter, and the statements by its counsel during
the hearing on the pending motions to compel. The Court denies Secretary Thurston’s motion to
compel with respect to this request.
IV. Conclusion
To the extent the parties believe there are additional issues raised in their filings not
addressed by the Court in its ruling, the parties may so inform the Court and request a ruling.
So ordered this the 22nd day of October, 2021.

Ku sh A ‘ Pralus—
Kristine G. Baker
United States District Judge

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/10006097. Public record. Not legal advice.