Discovery，在英美法中表示“证据开示”，The procedure of discovery，“证据开示程序”，是诉讼中的一个预审程序，开庭之前，当事人有权相互挖掘信息，取得证据。其中每一方都可以依据民事诉讼规则，通过质询（interrogatories）、请求出示文件（requests for production of documents）、请求自认（requests for admissions）和宣誓证词（depositions）等开示手段从另一方或各方获得证据。

Discovery：The pretrial devices that can be used by one party to obtain facts and information about the case from the other party in order to assist in preparing for trial. The theory of broad rights of discovery is that all parties will go to trial with as much knowledge as possible and that neither party should be able to keep secrets from the other. These useful devices are designed to operate without active involvement by the courts.

在美国，证据开示大多是由诉讼各方自己进行的，法院的参与度较低，而在大陆法系国家，取证既可以是以法官调查权为主导的公权行为，也可以是诉讼双方自行进行的私权行为。

参考双语例句：

The procedure of discovery is a special rule in American civil procedural law,which endows any party with getting his evidence from others.

证据开示程序是美国国内民事诉讼中获取证据的一项重要制度,是指当事人主动向对方寻找证据和信息的一种权利。

Either party may apply to the Dispute Tribunal for a revision of a judgement on the basis of the discovery of a decisive fact that was, at the time the judgement was rendered, unknown to the Dispute Tribunal and to the party applying for revision, always provided that such ignorance was not due to negligence.

任一当事方均可以发现决定性事实为由，向争议法庭提出修订判决的申请，但此事实应为争议法庭及申请修订判决的当事方在判决作出时所不知，且必须以非因疏失而不知者为限。

These two sections are modeled on section 33 of the Supreme Court Act 1981 of the UK and specifically enacted in 1987 for the special needs of personal injuries claims as a result of the recommendations of a sub-committee of the Supreme Court Rules Committee chaired by Kempster J. Members have asked about the scope and definition of the term "professional adviser" after the Court's jurisdiction is broadened to cover pre-action disclosure in all types of civil cases, and whether the drafting of Part 6 of the Bill should be reviewed to see if it is more appropriate to make separate and general provisions relating to pre-action discovery in cases other than personal injuries claims.

这两项条文是以英国《1981年最高法院法令》第33条为蓝本，这些条文是因应由甘士达大法官担任主席的最高法院规则委员会辖下小组委员会所提出的建议，专为符合人身伤害申索的特别需要而在1987年制定的。委员询问，当法庭／法院的司法管辖权扩展至可就所有种类的民事案件命令作出诉讼前的文件披露后，“专业顾问”一词的涵盖范围及定义为何，以及应否检讨条例草案第6部的草拟方式，以确定是否较适宜就人身伤害申索以外的其他案件另外订立有关诉讼前文件披露的一般性条文。