ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
ARIZONA RULES OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
Rule 28(c). Disqualification for interest
No deposition shall be taken before a person who is a relative or employee or attorney or counsel of any of the parties, or is a relative or employee of such attorney or counsel, or is financially interested in the action.
Rule 30(b). Notice of Examination; General Requirements; Special Notice; Method of Recording; Production of Documents and Things; Deposition of Organization; Deposition by Telephone
(1) Absent a stipulation of all parties to the action or an order of the court authorizing a briefer notice, a party desiring to take the deposition of any person upon oral examination shall give notice in writing to every other party to the action at least ten days prior to the date of the deposition. The notice shall state the date, time and place for taking the deposition, the name and address of each person to be examined, if known, and, if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to identify the person or the particular class or group to which the person belongs, and the name and address of the person before whom the deposition shall be taken. If a subpoena duces tecum is to be served on the person to be examined, the designation of the materials to be produced as set forth in the subpoena shall be attached to or included in the notice.
If the deposition is to be recorded by audio or audio-video, the notice shall state the technique for recording the deposition and the protocols to be used for such recording, the identity of the person recording the deposition, and the placement of camera(s), if any.
(2) Leave of court is not required for the taking of a deposition by plaintiff if the notice (A) states that the person to be examined is about to go out of the State of Arizona, and will be unavailable for examination unless the person’s deposition is taken before expiration of the 30-day period, and (B) sets forth facts to support the statement. The plaintiff’s attorney shall sign the notice, and the attorney’s signature constitutes a certification by the attorney that to the best of the attorney’s knowledge, information, and belief the statement and supporting facts are true. The sanctions provided by Rule 11(a) are applicable to the certification.
If a party shows that when the party was served with notice under this subspanision (b)(2) the party was unable through the exercise of diligence to obtain counsel to represent the party at the taking of the deposition, the deposition may not be used against the party.
(3) The court may for cause shown enlarge or shorten the time for taking the deposition.
(4) Unless the parties stipulate or the court orders otherwise, the deposition shall be recorded by a certified court reporter and may also be recorded by audio or audio-video means.
When a deposition is recorded only by a certified court reporter, the party taking the deposition shall bear the cost of the recording. If requested by one of the parties, the testimony shall be transcribed. If the testimony is transcribed, the party noticing the deposition or the party causing the deposition to be taken shall be responsible for the cost of the original transcript. A party may arrange to have a certified copy of the transcript made at the party’s own expense. If audio or audio-video is additionally requested by one of the parties, the requesting party shall be responsible for the cost of such recording, and a party requesting an audio or audio-video copy of the deposition shall be responsible for the cost of the audio or audio-video copy.
When a deposition is recorded only by audio or audio-video means, the party noticing the deposition shall bear the cost of the recording. A party requesting an audio or audio-video copy of the deposition shall be responsible for the cost of the audio or audio-video copy. The stipulation or order shall designate the person before whom the deposition shall be taken, the manner of recording, preserving and filing the deposition, and may include other provisions to assure that the recorded testimony will be accurate and trustworthy. A party may arrange to have a certified transcript made at the party’s own expense.
Any changes made by the witness, the witness’ signature identifying the deposition as the witness’ own or the statement of the officer that is required if the witness does not sign as provided in subspanision (e), and the certification of the officer required by subspanision (f) shall be set forth in a writing to accompany a deposition.
Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, a deposition shall be conducted before an officer appointed or designated under Rule 28 and shall begin with a statement or notation on the record by the officer that includes (A) the officer’s name, certification number, if any, and business address; (B) the date, time and place of the deposition; (C) the name of the deponent; (D) the administration of the oath or affirmation to the deponent; and (E) an identification of all persons present. The officer shall repeat items (A) through (C) at the beginning of each unit of recorded tape or other recording medium. The appearance or demeanor of deponents or attorneys shall not be distorted through camera or sound-recording techniques. At the end of the deposition, the officer shall state or note on the record that the deposition is complete and shall set forth any stipulations made by counsel concerning the custody of the transcript or recording and the exhibits, or concerning other pertinent matters.
(5) The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request made in compliance with Rule 34 for the production of documents and tangible things at the taking of the deposition. The procedure of Rule 34 shall apply to the request.
(6) A party may in the party’s notice name as the deponent a public or private corporation or a partnership or association or governmental agency and designate with reasonable particularity the matters on which examination is requested. The organization so named shall designate one or more officers, directors, or managing agents, or other persons who consent to testify on its behalf, and may set forth, for each person designated, the matters on which that person will testify. The persons so designated shall testify as to matters known or reasonably available to the organization. This subspanision (b)(6) does not preclude taking a deposition by any other procedure authorized in these rules.
(7) The parties may stipulate or the court may order that a deposition be taken by telephone. For the purpose of this Rule and Rules 28(a), 37(a)(1), 45(c)(3)(A)(ii), and 45(e), a deposition is taken in the county where the deponent is to answer questions propounded to the deponent.
CREDIT(S)
Amended July 17, 1970, effective Nov. 1, 1970; July 6, 1983, effective Sept. 7, 1983; Sept. 15, 1987, effective Nov. 15, 1987; March 12, 1990, effective June 1, 1990; Oct. 9, 1996, effective Dec. 1, 1996; Oct. 16, 2003, effective Dec. 1, 2003; Sept. 18, 2006, effective Jan. 1, 2007.
STATE BAR COMMITTEE NOTE
1970 Amendment
Rule 30(b): Subspanision (1) adds that the notice of any materials to be subpoenaed shall be included with the notice of the deposition. Subspanision (2) permits depositions within the 30-day period without leave of court where there is a substantial and certified assurance by counsel that the person to be deposed is about to leave the jurisdiction. This provision comes from the admiralty practice, where it is necessary in connection with ships which may suddenly leave, but it may be equally applicable in a state with many tourists. Nonetheless, this practice is a rare exception, and the court is expected to enforce the disciplinary provisions against its abuse. Subspanision (4) is intended to permit experimentation with other forms of recording depositions other than stenographic testimony, but this is protected both by the requirement that it be ordered by the court, and that a party may use stenographic transcription in any case, if he desires. Subspanision (5) is intended to terminate the existing doubt as to whether a party may be compelled to produce documents at the deposition, and to permit their copying. The previous rules did not directly relate Rule 34 and the production of documents to depositions. The revised Rule does make clear that the deposition and document discovery procedures may be used together as to a party. Subspanision (6) deals with the problem which arises when a party desiring discovery does not know what inspanidual in the responding organization should be called. He may, if he wishes, seek such information by interrogatory, and proceed without use of this subspanision, but if he desires to do so, the party may name the organization or government agency as the deponent, describe the matters on which examination is requested, and require the organization to produce the appropriately informed persons.
1983 Amendment
Rule 30(b)(4): The provision that the stipulation or order shall designate the person before whom the deposition is to be taken is added to encourage the naming of the recording technician as that person, eliminating the necessity of the presence of one whose only function is to administer the oath. See Rules 28(a) and 29.
FEDERAL RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
Rule 28(c). Disqualification
A deposition must not be taken before a person who is any party’s relative, employee, or attorney; who is related to or employed by any party’s attorney; or who is financially interested in the action.
Rule 30(b). Notice of the Deposition; Other Formal Requirements.
(1) Notice in General.
A party who wants to depose a person by oral questions must give reasonable written notice to every other party. The notice must state the time and place of the deposition and, if known, the deponent’s name and address. If the name is unknown, the notice must provide a general description sufficient to identify the person or the particular class or group to which the person belongs.
(2) Producing Documents.
If a subpoena duces tecum is to be served on the deponent, the materials designated for production, as set out in the subpoena, must be listed in the notice or in an attachment. The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request under Rule 34 to produce documents and tangible things at the deposition.
(3) Method of Recording.
(A) Method Stated in the Notice. The party who notices the deposition must state in the notice the method for recording the testimony. Unless the court orders otherwise, testimony may be recorded by audio, audiovisual, or stenographic means. The noticing party bears the recording costs. Any party may arrange to transcribe a deposition.
(B) Additional Method. With prior notice to the deponent and other parties, any party may designate another method for recording the testimony in addition to that specified in the original notice. That party bears the expense of the additional record or transcript unless the court orders otherwise.
(4) By Remote Means.
The parties may stipulate — or the court may on motion order — that a deposition be taken by telephone or other remote means. For the purpose of this rule and Rules 28(a), 37(a)(2), and 37(b)(1), the deposition takes place where the deponent answers the questions.
(5) Officer’s Duties.
(A) Before the Deposition. Unless the parties stipulate otherwise, a deposition must be conducted before an officer appointed or designated under Rule 28. The officer must begin the deposition with an on-the-record statement that includes:
(i) the officer’s name and business address;
(ii) the date, time, and place of the deposition;
(iii) the deponent’s name;
(iv) the officer’s administration of the oath or affirmation to the deponent; and
(v) the identity of all persons present.
(B) Conducting the Deposition; Avoiding Distortion. If the deposition is recorded nonstenographically, the officer must repeat the items in Rule 30(b)(5)(A)(i)-(iii) at the beginning of each unit of the recording medium. The deponent’s and attorneys’ appearance or demeanor must not be distorted through recording techniques.
(C) After the Deposition. At the end of a deposition, the officer must state on the record that the deposition is complete and must set out any stipulations made by the attorneys about custody of the transcript or recording and of the exhibits, or about any other pertinent matters.
(6) Notice or Subpoena Directed to an Organization.
In its notice or subpoena, a party may name as the deponent a public or private corporation, a partnership, an association, a governmental agency, or other entity and must describe with reasonable particularity the matters for examination. The named organization must then designate one or more officers, directors, or managing agents, or designate other persons who consent to testify on its behalf; and it may set out the matters on which each person designated will testify. A subpoena must advise a nonparty organization of its duty to make this designation. The persons designated must testify about information known or reasonably available to the organization. This paragraph (6) does not preclude a deposition by any other procedure allowed by these rules.
ARIZONA CODE OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION
Part 7: Administrative Office of the Courts – Chapter 2: Certification and Licensing Programs – Section 7-206: Certified Reporter (PDF)
