UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
Filed 12/9/96
FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT
ROBERT H. AULL, on behalf of
himself and all other similarly
situated,
Plaintiff - Appellee, No. 96-1474
v.
CAVALCADE PENSION PLAN;
CAVALCADE PENSION PLAN
COMMITTEE; KEVIN LEWIS;
CARLENE STEWART; ALTON
SMITH; DONALD DODSON;
FURR’S/BISHOP’S, INC.;
FURR’S/BISHOP’S CAFETERIAS,
L.P.; CAVALCADE & CO., INC.; and
CAFETERIA OPERATORS, L.P.,
Defendants - Appellants,
and
MICHAEL J. LEVENSON; KMART
CORPORATION; and KMART
CORPORATION EMPLOYEES’
RETIREMENT PLAN,
Defendants.
ORDER AND JUDGMENT 1
1
This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the
doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. The court
generally disfavors the citation of orders and judgments; nevertheless, an order
and judgment may be cited under the terms and conditions of 10th Cir. R. 36.3.
Before TACHA, KELLY, and BRISCOE, Circuit Judges.
After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined
unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist the determination of
this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore
ordered submitted without oral argument.
Before us is defendants-appellants’ appeal from the district court’s October
4, 1996 order denying their motion for protective order seeking to bar discovery
of all accountant/actuary - client privileged matters. Defendants-appellants have
also filed a motion for stay of the district court’s order pending disposition of
their appeal.
Generally, pretrial discovery rulings are interlocutory and are not
appealable as final orders. See F.T.C. v. Alaska Land Leasing, Inc., 778 F.2d
577, 578 (10th Cir. 1985). This is true even if the discovery at issue is claimed to
be privileged. Boughton v. Cotter Corp., 10 F.3d 746, 750 (10th Cir. 1993). This
court ordered the parties to show cause why this appeal should not be summarily
dismissed for lack of jurisdiction. Upon review of the parties’ responses, we find
the order being appealed is interlocutory and not appealable as a final order.
Because we conclude this appeal is premature, we do not consider defendants-
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appellants’ motion for stay pending appeal. The appeal is DISMISSED for lack
of jurisdiction.
Entered for the Court
Deanell Reece Tacha
Circuit Judge
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