Rule 30. Depositions upon oral questions.
(a) When depositions may be taken; when leave
required. A party may
depose a party or witness by oral questions. A witness may not be deposed more
than once in standard discovery. An expert who has prepared a report disclosed
under Rule 26(a)(4)(B)
may not be deposed.
(b) Notice of deposition; general requirements; special notice; non-stenographic
recording; production of documents and things; deposition of organization;
deposition by telephone.
(b)(1) The party deposing a witness shall give reasonable
notice in writing to every other party. The notice shall state the date, time
and place for the deposition and the name and address of each witness. If the
name of a witness is not known, the notice shall describe the witness
sufficiently to identify the person or state the class or group to which the
person belongs. The notice shall designate any documents and tangible things to
be produced by a witness. The notice shall designate the officer who will
conduct the deposition.
(b)(2) The notice shall designate the method by which the
deposition will be recorded. With prior notice to the officer, witness and
other parties, any party may designate a recording method in addition to the
method designated in the notice. Depositions may be recorded by sound,
sound-and-visual, or stenographic means, and the party designating the
recording method shall bear the cost of the recording. The appearance or
demeanor of witnesses or attorneys shall not be distorted through recording
techniques.
(b)(3) A deposition shall be conducted before an officer
appointed or designated under Rule 28 and
shall begin with a statement on the record by the officer that includes (A) the
officer's name and business address; (B) the date, time and place of the
deposition; (C) the name of the witness; (D) the administration of the oath or
affirmation to the witness; and (E) an identification of all persons present.
If the deposition is recorded other than stenographically, the officer shall
repeat items (A) through (C) at the beginning of each unit of the recording
medium. At the end of the deposition, the officer shall state on the record
that the deposition is complete and shall state any stipulations.
(b)(4) The notice to a party witness may be accompanied by a
request under Rule 34 for the
production of documents and tangible things at the deposition. The procedure of
Rule 34 shall
apply to the request. The attendance of a nonparty witness may be compelled by
subpoena under Rule 45.
Documents and tangible things to be produced shall be stated in the subpoena.
(b)(5) A deposition may be taken by remote electronic means.
A deposition taken by remote electronic means is considered to be taken at the
place where the witness is located.
(b)(6) A party may name as the witness a corporation, a
partnership, an association, or a governmental agency, describe with reasonable
particularity the matters on which questioning is requested, and direct the
organization to designate one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or
other persons to testify on its behalf. The organization shall state, for each
person designated, the matters on which the person will testify. A subpoena
shall advise a nonparty organization of its duty to make such a designation.
The person so designated shall testify as to matters known or reasonably
available to the organization.
(c) Examination and cross-examination;
objections.
(c)(1) Questioning of witnesses may proceed as permitted at
the trial under the Utah Rules of Evidence, except Rules 103 and 615.
(c)(2) All objections shall be recorded, but the questioning
shall proceed, and the testimony taken subject to the objections. Any objection
shall be stated concisely and in a non-argumentative and non-suggestive manner.
A person may instruct a witness not to answer only to preserve a privilege, to
enforce a limitation on evidence directed by the court, or to present a motion
for a protective order under Rule 37. Upon
demand of the objecting party or witness, the deposition shall be suspended for
the time necessary to make a motion. The party taking the deposition may
complete or adjourn the deposition before moving for an order to compel
discovery under Rule 37.
(d) Limits. During standard discovery, oral questioning of a nonparty shall
not exceed four hours, and oral questioning of a party shall not exceed seven
hours.
(e) Submission to witness; changes; signing. Within 28 days after being notified by the officer that the
transcript or recording is available, a witness may sign a statement of changes
to the form or substance of the transcript or recording and the reasons for the
changes. The officer shall append any changes timely made by the witness.
(f) Record of deposition; certification and
delivery by officer; exhibits; copies.
(f)(1) The officer shall record the deposition or direct
another person present to record the deposition. The officer shall sign a
certificate, to accompany the record, that the witness was under oath or
affirmation and that the record is a true record of the deposition. The officer
shall keep a copy of the record. The officer shall securely seal the record
endorsed with the title of the action and marked "Deposition of (name). Do
not open." and shall promptly send the sealed record to the attorney or
the party who designated the recording method. An attorney or party receiving
the record shall store it under conditions that will protect it against loss,
destruction, tampering, or deterioration.
(f)(2) Every party may inspect and copy documents and things
produced for inspection and must have a fair opportunity to compare copies and
originals. Upon the request of a party, documents and things produced for
inspection shall be marked for identification and added to the record. If the
witness wants to retain the originals, that person shall offer the originals to
be copied, marked for identification and added to the record.
(f)(3) Upon payment of reasonable charges, the officer shall
furnish a copy of the record to any party or to the witness.
(g) Failure to attend or to serve subpoena;
expenses. If the party
giving the notice of a deposition fails to attend or fails to serve a subpoena
upon a witness who fails to attend, and another party attends in person or by
attorney, the court may order the party giving the notice to pay to the other
party the reasonable costs, expenses and attorney fees incurred.
(h) Deposition in action pending in another
state. Any party to an
action in another state may take the deposition of any person within this state
in the same manner and subject to the same conditions and limitations as if
such action were pending in this state. Notice of the deposition shall be filed
with the clerk of the court of the county in which the person whose deposition
is to be taken resides or is to be served. Matters required to be submitted to
the court shall be submitted to the court in the county where the deposition is
being taken.
(i) Stipulations
regarding deposition procedures. The parties may by written stipulation provide that
depositions may be taken before any person, at any time or place, upon any
notice, and in any manner and when so taken may be used like other depositions.