Alice's public defender filed a discovery motion asking for a copy of Officer Cowan's personnel file:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The public defender must establish that the information in Officer Cowan's personnel file is relevant to Alice's defense. The courts have held that only information that is material to the defendant's case and that the defendant cannot obtain through other means is discoverable. The defense must show that the information sought is likely to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. The court will then balance the defendant's need for the information against the government's interest in keeping it confidential. The mere fact that the information is in the Officer Cowan's personnel file does not necessarily make it relevant to Alice's defense.

Alice's Public Defender Filed a Discovery Motion Asking for a Copy