What is a protective order under Rule 26(c) intended to do?

• A. To protect a party from annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, undue burden or expense
• B. To compel production of documents
• C. To extend discovery deadlines
• D. To void the complaint

Answer: (A)

Protective orders under Rule 26(c) are court orders that shield a party or person from discovery that would cause annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense. The purpose is to limit or tailor the discovery process to protect privacy, confidentiality, or other legitimate interests while still allowing access to information that’s truly discoverable. The order can do things like restrict who may see the materials, seal or redact sensitive information, limit the scope of requests, or defer certain discovery to reduce burden. It’s not about compelling production, extending deadlines as a general rule, or voiding a complaint—those are addressed by other mechanisms or rules.