DISCOVER CARD MASTER TRUST I
8-K, 2000-03-31
ASSET-BACKED SECURITIES
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<PAGE>   1
                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                          Pursuant to Section 13 of the

                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): March 31, 2000


                          Discover Card Master Trust I
                   ------------------------------------------
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



                Delaware              0-23108              51-0020270
                --------              -------              ----------
               (State of            (Commission          (IRS Employer
             Organization)         File Number)        Identification No.)


c/o Greenwood Trust Company
12 Read's Way
New Castle, Delaware                                             19720
- ----------------------------------------                         -----
(Address of principal executive offices)                      (Zip Code)


Registrant's Telephone Number, including area code:  (302) 323-7184
                                                     --------------

Former name or former address, if changed since last report:  Not Applicable



<PAGE>   2

Item 5.  Other Events

          Series 2000-3. On March 31, 2000, the registrant made available to
investors a prospectus supplement, dated March 27, 2000, and prospectus, dated
March 27, 2000, with respect to the issuance of $500,000,000 aggregate principal
amount of Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through
Certificates and $26,316,000 aggregate principal amount of Series 2000-3
Floating Rate Class B Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates of Discover Card
Master Trust I (the "Trust"), pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement,
dated as of October 1, 1993, between Greenwood Trust Company ("Greenwood") as
Master Servicer, Servicer and Seller and U.S. Bank National Association
(formerly First Bank National Association, successor trustee to Bank of America
Illinois, formerly Continental Bank, National Association) as Trustee, as
amended, and the Series Supplement for Series 2000-3, to be dated as of April 4,
2000, between Greenwood Trust Company as Master Servicer, Servicer and Seller
and U.S. Bank National Association as Trustee.

          In connection with the issuance of Series 2000-3, Latham & Watkins,
counsel to Greenwood and the Trust, has delivered (i) an opinion to Greenwood
(as originator of the Trust), dated March 31, 2000, regarding the legality of
the Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates
and the Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class B Credit Card Pass-Through
Certificates upon issuance and sale thereof on April 4, 2000; and (ii) an
opinion to Greenwood (as originator of the Trust), dated March 31, 2000, as to
certain federal tax matters concerning the Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class A
Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates and the Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class
B Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates. A copy of the opinion as to legality is
attached as Exhibit 5, and the opinion as to certain tax matters is attached as
Exhibit 8.

Item 7.           Exhibits

Exhibit No.       Description
- -----------       -----------
Exhibit 5         Opinion of Latham & Watkins.

Exhibit 8         Opinion of Latham & Watkins as to certain federal tax
                  matters concerning the Class A Certificates and Class B
                  Certificates of Series 2000-3.

Exhibit 23        Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5).


                                     PAGE 2

<PAGE>   3

                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                   Discover Card Master Trust I
                                   (Registrant)


                                   By: Greenwood Trust Company
                                       (Originator of the Trust)



Date:  March 31, 2000              By: /s/ John J. Coane
                                       ---------------------
                                       John J. Coane
                                       Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer
                                         and Treasurer




                                     PAGE 3

<PAGE>   4


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit No.           Description
- -----------           -----------

Exhibit 5             Opinion of Latham & Watkins.

Exhibit 8             Opinion of Latham & Watkins as to certain federal tax
                      matters concerning the Class A Certificates and Class B
                      Certificates of Series 2000-3.

Exhibit 23            Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5).






                                     PAGE 4

<PAGE>   1
[LATHAM & WATKINS LETTERHEAD]



                                 March 31, 2000




Greenwood Trust Company, as Originator
  of Discover Card Master Trust I
12 Read's Way
New Castle, Delaware 19720

                     Re: Discover Card Master Trust I, Series 2000-3
                         Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          At your request, we have examined your Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (Registration No. 333-62263), together with the exhibits thereto (the
"Registration Statement"), registering credit card pass-through certificates
representing undivided interests in the Discover Card Master Trust I (the
"Trust") and the related Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated March
27, 2000 (together, the "Prospectus"), filed by you with the Securities and
Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, relating to the issuance of Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class A Credit
Card Pass-Through Certificates and Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class B Credit
Card Pass-Through Certificates (together, the "Series 2000-3 Certificates"). The
Series 2000-3 Certificates will be issued pursuant to the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement (the "Pooling and Servicing Agreement") dated as of October 1, 1993,
which is incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of your Registration Statement
on Form S-1 (Registration No. 33-71502), as amended by the First Amendment to
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of August 15, 1994, which is
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.2 of the Trust's Current Report on Form
8-K dated August 1, 1995, by the Second Amendment to the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement, dated as of February 29, 1996, which is incorporated by reference to
Exhibit 4.4 of the Trust's Current Report on Form 8-K dated April 30, 1996, by
the Third Amendment to the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of March
30, 1998, which is




<PAGE>   2

LATHAM & WATKINS

Greenwood Trust Company
March 31, 2000
Page 2


incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1(d) of the Trust's Registration
Statement on Form 8-A filed on April 13, 1998, and by the Fourth Amendment to
the Pooling and Servicing Agreement, dated as of November 30, 1998, which is
incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Trust's Current Report on Form
8-K dated November 30, 1998, and as supplemented by a related Series Supplement
(the "Series 2000-3 Supplement"), a copy of the form of which is included as
Exhibit 4.4 to the Registration Statement and the specific terms of which are
summarized in the Prospectus, each by and between Greenwood as Master Servicer,
Servicer and Seller and U.S. Bank National Association (formerly First Bank
National Association, successor trustee to Bank of America Illinois, formerly
Continental Bank, National Association) as Trustee. We are familiar with the
proceedings taken by Greenwood as originator of the Trust in connection with the
authorization of the issuance and sale of the Series 2000-3 Certificates, and
have examined such documents and such questions of law and fact as we have
deemed necessary in order to express the opinion hereinafter stated.

          We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transactions of
only United States federal law and the laws of the State of New York, and we
express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto or the effect
thereon of the laws of any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal
law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.

          Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion, as of the date hereof,
that the Series 2000-3 Certificates, upon issuance and sale thereof in the
manner described in the Prospectus and as provided in the Pooling and Servicing
Agreement and the related Series 2000-3 Supplement, will be validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable, and enforceable in accordance with their terms and
entitled to the benefits of the Pooling and Servicing Agreement and the related
Series 2000-3 Supplement, except as the same may be limited by (i) bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in
effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, and (ii)
general principles of equity (whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding
at law or in equity) and by the discretion of the court before which any
proceeding therefor may be brought.

          In rendering our opinion, we have assumed that, upon or prior to the
issuance and sale of the Series 2000-3 Certificates, (i) the Series 2000-3
Supplement will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee, (ii)
all documents required to be executed and delivered in connection with the
issuance and sale of the Series 2000-3 Certificates will be so executed and
delivered by properly authorized persons, and (iii) the respective purchase
prices for the Class A Certificates and the Class B Certificates of Series
2000-3, as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, will be paid
to you by the various underwriters named in the Prospectus.



<PAGE>   3

LATHAM & WATKINS

Greenwood Trust Company
March 31, 2000
Page 3

          We hereby consent to the filing of (i) this opinion and (ii) the
opinion to be filed as Exhibit 8, in each case as part of the Trust's Current
Report on Form 8-K, dated March 31, 2000.

                                Very truly yours,

                              /s/ Latham & Watkins



<PAGE>   1
[LATHAM & WATKINS LETTERHEAD]



                                 March 31, 2000



Greenwood Trust Company
12 Read's Way
New Castle, Delaware 19720

                  Re:  Discover Card Master Trust I, Series 2000-3
                       Registration Statement on Form S-3
                       ----------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          In connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3
(Registration No. 333-62263), registering credit card pass-through certificates
representing undivided interests in the Discover Card Master Trust I (the
"Trust") and the related Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement, each dated March
27, 2000 (together, the "Prospectus"), to be filed by you with the Securities
and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, relating to the issuance pursuant to the Registration
Statement of Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through
Certificates and Series 2000-3 Floating Rate Class B Credit Card Pass-Through
Certificates (together, the "Series 2000-3 Certificates"), you have requested
our opinion regarding the description of material tax consequences related to
the issuance of the Series 2000-3 Certificates (the "Offering") as described in
the Prospectus. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings
ascribed to them in the Prospectus.

          Our opinion is based on our examination of the Prospectus, the Pooling
and Servicing Agreement dated as of October 1, 1993, as amended (the "Pooling
Agreement") between Greenwood as Master Servicer, Servicer and Seller and U.S.
Bank National Association (formerly First Bank National Association, successor
trustee to Bank of America Illinois, formerly Continental Bank, National
Association) as Trustee, and such other documents, instruments and information
as we considered necessary. Our opinion also is based on (i) the assumption that


<PAGE>   2
LATHAM & WATKINS

Greenwood Trust Company
March 31, 2000
Page 2

neither the Trustee nor any affiliate thereof will become either the Servicer or
the delegee of the Servicer; (ii) the assumption that all agreements relating to
the creation of the Trust will remain in full force and effect; (iii) the
assumption that all agreements and documents required to be executed and
delivered in connection with the issuance and sale of the Series 2000-3
Certificates will be so executed and delivered by properly authorized persons in
substantial conformity with the drafts thereof as described in the Prospectus
and such agreements will remain in full force and effect; (iv) currently
applicable provisions of the federal income tax laws, including the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, applicable Treasury Regulations promulgated
thereunder, judicial authority and current administrative rulings and practice;
and (v) a legal opinion rendered by local tax counsel retained by Greenwood
relative to the income tax laws of Delaware (upon which we have relied for
purposes of rendering our opinion with respect to the laws of Delaware).

          Based on the foregoing, as of the date hereof, we adopt and confirm
the statements under the captions "Federal Income Tax Consequences" and "State
Tax Consequences" as our opinion of the material tax consequences of the
Offering, to the extent such statements constitute legal conclusions.


                                          Very truly yours,

                                          /s/ Latham & Watkins




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