§ 1141.24.Discovery After Award

Discovery is supposed to wind down, not ramp up, once an arbitration award has been filed in a case sent to arbitration under § 1141.11. Section 1141.24 confirms that: after the award, no discovery is permitted beyond what Chapter 18, commencing with § 2034.010, of Title 4 of Part 4 already allows — the rules governing expert witness discovery — unless the parties stipulate to more or the court grants leave on a showing of good cause.

The rule exists because a trial de novo, if one is requested, is supposed to move quickly toward trial rather than reopen a full discovery campaign. It also connects to § 1141.16(c)(3), which lets a court move up the arbitration hearing itself when the parties have stipulated, or the court has ordered, that broader post-award discovery will be allowed — a signal that the parties or the court have decided this case needs the extra time discovery would take.