In Cortez, et. al. v. Hankook Tire Corporation et. al., filed in Harris County, Texas the 280th District Court handed down sanctions against Hankook Tire Corporation for discovery misconduct aimed at blocking testimony and the production of case specific documents.

Farrar & Ball filed its Motion for Sanctions in response to repeated discovery misconduct and requested the 280th District Court grant death penalty sanctions against Defendant Hankook Tire Corporation. In an effort to grant lesser sanctions, the Court granted severe monetary and discovery sanctions against Hankook Tire Corporation for its discovery misconduct. The Court’s ruling represented the second time Hankoook had been sanctioned for discovery misconduct. In the ruling, the Court ordered Hankook to pay for Plaintiffs’ counsel to travel to Daejon, Korea, to inspect the plant where the accident tire was manufactured, and to secure the depositions of Hankook’s Korean corporate representatives. The Court further ordered Hankook to pay Plaintiffs an hourly rate for the full length of time, portal to portal, the Korean trip required. It is believed the sanctions are the most severe sanctions ever handed down by the 280th District Court in a case involving a tire manufacturer.