A federal district court grants an order compelling a corporation to produce certain privileged documents during discovery. The corporation believes that this order improperly requires the disclosure of sensitive attorney-client communications. The corporation wants to immediately appeal the district court's order. Under what circumstances would the corporation's appeal be appropriate?
If the corporation requests and is granted a writ of mandamus by the appellate court.
If the corporation demonstrates significant harm warranting appellate intervention.
If the order satisfies the criteria of the collateral order doctrine, including involving a distinct legal issue and addressing rights that may not be restored after final judgment.
If the corporation appeals with court approval on a significant legal matter.
The correct answer involves the collateral order doctrine, which permits appellate review of certain decisions that are not final judgments but meet specific criteria. For attorney-client privileged material, the doctrine applies where the order resolves an important legal question separate from the merits of the case and involves rights that could be effectively lost if review is postponed. The other options reflect scenarios that do not meet the strict requirements for interlocutory appeal. For example, the reference to 'significant harm' in one option does not address the specialized nature of privilege and the immediate irreparable harm that may occur in such cases. Similarly, mandamus is a limited remedy requiring extraordinary circumstances and is not ordinarily available here without a showing of abuse of discretion by the court.
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