The "only if specifically requested" is commonplace and requesting evidence is a routine part of any case. I'm all in favor of "automatic" discovery in criminal

The "only if specifically requested" is commonplace and requesting evidence is a routine part of any case. I'm all in favor of "automatic" discovery in criminal matters—I don't believe the prosecution should have an information advantage—but the fact that it wasn't previously required by law isn't evidence that it was broadly inadequate. Same goes for the deadlines. Sure, the law didn't set a specific timeline—but that's not evidence that prosecutors routinely "[dropped] 30 pages off in front of the defense 20 minutes before the trial [began]."