(a) In addition to the demands for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling permitted by this chapter, a party may propound a supplemental demand to inspect, copy, test, or sample any later acquired or discovered documents, tangible things, land or other property, or electronically stored information in the possession, custody, or control of the party on whom the demand is made.
§ 2031.050.050
Title 4. Civil Discovery Act · Chapter 14. Inspection, Copying, Testing, Sampling, and Production of Documents, Electronically Stored · Article 1. Inspection Demand · Last amended 2009 · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceSection 2031.050 lets a party serve a supplemental inspection demand covering later-acquired or newly discovered material, limits that supplemental demand to twice before trial is initially set and once after, and allows a court to grant leave for additional supplemental demands on good cause.
Full Text of § 2031.050
(b) A party may propound a supplemental demand for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling twice before the initial setting of a trial date, and, subject to the time limits on discovery proceedings and motions provided in Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 2024.010), once after the initial setting of a trial date.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), on motion, for good cause shown, the court may grant leave to a party to propound an additional number of supplemental demands for inspection, copying, testing, or sampling.
Plain-English Summary
Cases evolve, and documents or things relevant to a dispute keep turning up after the first round of demands has already gone out. This section lets a party propound a supplemental demand reaching any later acquired or discovered documents, tangible things, land or other property, or electronically stored information that falls into the other party's possession, custody, or control after the earlier demand.
That supplemental tool is not unlimited. A party may serve a supplemental demand twice before a trial date is first set, and, subject to the timing limits that govern discovery generally, once more after that initial trial-date setting. A party who needs still more supplemental demands can ask the court, on a motion showing good cause, for leave to serve additional ones beyond that default allotment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a supplemental demand under this section reach?
Documents, tangible things, land or other property, or electronically stored information later acquired or discovered by the party on whom the demand is made.
How many supplemental demands can a party serve as of right?
Twice before the initial trial date is set, and once more after that setting.
Can a party get leave for more than that?
Yes, on motion and a showing of good cause.
Amendment History
(Added by Stats.2004, c. 182 (A.B.3081), § 23, operative July 1, 2005. Amended by Stats.2009, c. 5 (A.B.5), § 8, eff. June 29, 2009.)
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the West's Annotated California Codes / Thomson Reuters. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: supplemental request for production californiaadditional document demand after initial demand