The optimal extent of discovery
研究了诉讼中通过发现程序公开收集信息如何影响当事人策略互动，发现有限发现能降低预期诉讼成本，法院应根据被告实力和信息效率决定发现范围。
We characterize how the process of publicly gathering information via discovery affects strategic interactions between litigants. It allows privately informed defendants to signal through the timing of settlement offers, with weaker ones attempting to settle prediscovery. Discovery reduces the probability of trial. Properly designed limited discovery reduces expected litigation costs. Stronger defendants gain more (lose less) from a given amount of discovery. We find that the court should grant more discovery when defendants are believed to be stronger and should grant discovery on more efficient sources of information, leaving less efficient ones to trial.