In a class action lawsuit involving approximately 10,000 Australian Tesla (TSLA) owners, Federal Court Judge Tom Soley issued strong criticism of the company's performance during the evidence discovery process, questioning whether Tesla is taking the judicial proceedings seriously.
The lawsuit, filed by Brisbane law firm JGA Saddler, alleges that Tesla misled Australian consumers regarding "phantom braking," battery range, and autonomous driving capabilities. Over an eight-month discovery period, Tesla has submitted only about 2,000 documents. The plaintiffs' lawyers argue that a substantial volume of related documents, including engineering software, vehicle systems data, and complaint records, is necessary for experts to thoroughly review the allegations.
During a hearing, Judge Soley expressed astonishment at the limited document production, stating he was "shocked" that only 2,000 documents were provided and doubting whether the task was being approached with due seriousness. He warned that if Tesla's cooperation remains inadequate, the company would face a "very bad position." The judge has ordered Tesla to complete full disclosure of evidence by July 31 and has scheduled the next case management hearing for September 1.
Tesla has stated that it has manually reviewed approximately 100,000 documents, with about 75,000 still pending review. The company also expressed concerns about disclosing confidential and sensitive information. Tesla denies that its descriptions of its products were inaccurate. As of now, the company has not issued a public response regarding this case.
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