DISCOVER CARD MASTER TRUST I
8-K, 2000-05-09
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): May 5, 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 2000-4. On May 5, 2000, the registrant made available to investors a
     -------------
prospectus supplement, dated May 2, 2000, and prospectus, dated May 2, 2000,
with respect to the issuance of $650,000,000 aggregate principal amount of
Series 2000-4 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates and
$34,211,000 aggregate principal amount of Series 2000-4 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 2000-4, to be dated as of May 10, 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 2000-4, Latham & Watkins, counsel
to Greenwood and the Trust, has delivered (i) an opinion to Greenwood (as
originator of the Trust), dated May 8, 2000, regarding the legality of the
Series 2000-4 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates and
the Series 2000-4 Floating Rate Class B Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates
upon issuance and sale thereof on May 10, 2000; and (ii) an opinion to Greenwood
(as originator of the Trust), dated May 8, 2000, as to certain federal tax
matters concerning the Series 2000-4 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card
Pass-Through Certificates and the Series 2000-4 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 2000-4.

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:  May 8, 2000                By:   /s/ John J. Coane
                                      ------------------------------
                                      John J. Coane
                                      Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer,
                                      Treasurer and Assistant Secretary




                                     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 2000-4.

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



                                     Page 4

<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 5

                         [LETTERHEAD LATHAM & WATKINS]




                                   May 8, 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 2000-4
                          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 May 2,
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 2000-4 Floating Rate Class A Credit Card
Pass-Through Certificates and Series 2000-4 Floating Rate Class B Credit Card
Pass-Through Certificates (together, the "Series 2000-4 Certificates"). The
Series 2000-4 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




<PAGE>   2


Greenwood Trust Company
May 8, 2000
Page 2


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 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 2000-4 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 2000-4 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 2000-4 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 2000-4 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 2000-4 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 2000-4 Certificates, (i) the Series 2000-4
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 2000-4 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
2000-4, 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



Greenwood Trust Company
May 8, 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 May 8, 2000.

                                 Very truly yours,

                                 /s/  Latham and Watkins
                                 --------------------------------------


<PAGE>   1
                                                                       EXHIBIT 8

                         [LETTERHEAD LATHAM & WATKINS]

                                   May 8, 2000

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

                  Re:   Discover Card Master Trust I, Series 2000-4
                        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 May 2, 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 2000-4
Floating Rate Class A Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates and Series 2000-4
Floating Rate Class B Credit Card Pass-Through Certificates (together, the
"Series 2000-4 Certificates"), you have requested our opinion regarding the
description of material tax consequences related to the issuance of the Series
2000-4 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



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LATHAM & WATKINS

Greenwood Trust Company
May 8, 2000
Page 2


assumption that neither the Trustee nor any affiliate thereof will become the
Master Servicer, the Servicer or the delegee of either the Master Servicer or
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 2000-4 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 and Watkins
                                    -------------------------------


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