1. A. ABUSIVE DISCOVERY. In addition to the protective orders that a court may issue pursuant to paragraph 1 of subsection C of Section 3226 of Title 12 of the Oklahoma Statutes, a protective order may be issued by the court authorizing or denying discovery in the court in which the action is pending. A protective order may also be authorized on matters relating to a deposition. The order may be issued upon a motion by a party or the person from whom discovery is sought. The motion shall be accompanied by a certification that the movant has in good faith conferred or attempted to confer, either in person or by telephone, with other affected parties in an effort to resolve the dispute without court action. Upon receipt by the court of the motion and certification, the court may enter the protective order authorizing or denying the discovery upon a finding that justice requires a party or person be protected from annoyance, harassment, embarrassment, oppression or undue delay, burden, or expense.

2. B. AWARD OF EXPENSES OF MOTION. If the motion is granted, the court may, after opportunity for hearing, require the party or person whose conduct necessitated the motion or the party or attorney advising such conduct or both of them to pay to the moving party the reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining the order, including attorney fees, unless the court finds that the opposition to the motion was substantially justified or that other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust.

   If the motion is denied, the court may, after opportunity for hearing, require the moving party or the attorney advising the motion or both of them to pay to the party or deponent who opposed the motion the reasonable expenses incurred in opposing the motion, including attorney fees, unless the court finds that the making of the motion was substantially justified or that other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust.

   If the motion is granted in part and denied in part, the court may apportion the reasonable expenses incurred in relation to the motion among the parties and persons in a just manner.

Laws 2004, HB 2661, c. 368, § 14, eff. November 1, 2004.