Haylock et al. v. Norwegian Cruise Lines et al.

In Admiralty Practice, Discovery on (Updated )

This was an application by the Defendant shipowner in two actions for an Order that examinations for discovery of the 16 Plaintiffs, all cruise ship medical officers claiming wages for overtime, take place by way of written examination and then by such oral examination as the Defendant may reasonably require. The Prothonotary acknowledged that this was not a usual approach in the Federal Court but granted the Order because it had the substantial promise of saving both time and money. The Prothonotary considered, in particular, the use of both written and oral examinations in the Supreme Court of British Columbia and the “general move to encourage written discovery ” in the Federal Court.