Rule 39. Depositions on Oral Examination

A When deposition may be taken. After the service of summons or the appearance of the defendant in any action, or in a special proceeding at any time after a question of fact has arisen, any party may take the testimony of any person, including a party, by deposition on oral examination. The attendance of a witness may be compelled by subpoena as provided in Rule 55. Leave of court, with or without notice, must be obtained only if the plaintiff seeks to take a deposition prior to the expiration of the period of time specified in Rule 7 to appear and answer after service of summons on any defendant, except that leave is not required:

A(1) if a defendant has served a notice of taking deposition or otherwise sought discovery; or

A(2) a special notice is given as provided in subsection C(2) of this rule.

B Order for deposition or production of prisoner. The deposition of a person confined in a prison or jail may only be taken by leave of court. The deposition will be taken on the terms that the court prescribes, and the court may order that the deposition be taken at the place of confinement or, when the prisoner is confined in this state, may order temporary removal and production of the prisoner for purposes of the deposition.

C Notice of examination.

C(1) General requirements. A party desiring to take the deposition of any person on oral examination must give reasonable notice in writing to every other party to the action. The notice must state the time and place for taking the deposition and 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. 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 must be attached to or included in the notice.

C(2) Special notice. Leave of court is not required for the taking of a deposition by the plaintiff if the requirements of paragraphs C(2)(a), C(2)(b), and C(2)(c) of this subsection are satisfied.

C(2)(a) The notice states that the person to be examined is about to go out of the state, or is bound on a voyage to sea, and will be unavailable for examination unless the deposition is taken before the expiration of the period of time specified in Rule 7 to appear and answer after service of summons on any defendant.

C(2)(b) The notice sets forth facts to support the statement.

C(2)(c) The plaintiff's attorney signed the notice, and that 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.

C(2)(d) If a party shows that, when served with notice under subsection C(2) of this rule, 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.

C(3) Shorter or longer time. The court may, for cause shown, enlarge or shorten the time for taking the deposition.

C(4) Non-stenographic recording. The notice of deposition required under subsection C(1) of this rule may provide that the testimony will be recorded by other than stenographic means, in which event the notice must designate the manner of recording and preserving the deposition. A court may require that the deposition be taken by stenographic means if necessary to assure that the recording be accurate.

C(5) Production of documents and things. The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request made in compliance with Rule 43 for the production of documents and tangible things at the taking of the deposition. The procedures of Rule 43 apply to the request.

C(6) Deposition of organization. A party may, in the notice and in a subpoena, name as the deponent a public or private corporation or a partnership, association, or governmental agency and describe with reasonable particularity the matters on which examination is requested. In that event, the organization so named must provide notice of no fewer than 3 days before the scheduled deposition, absent good cause or agreement of the parties and the deponent, designating the name(s) of one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other persons who consent to testify on its behalf and setting forth, for each person designated, the matters on which that person will testify. A subpoena must advise a nonparty organization of its duty to make this designation. The persons so designated will testify as to matters known or reasonably available to the organization. This subsection does not preclude taking a deposition by any other procedure authorized in these rules.

C(7) Deposition by remote means.

C(7)(a) The court may order, or approve a stipulation, that testimony be taken by remote means. If testimony is taken by remote means pursuant to court order, the order must designate the conditions of taking and the manner of recording the testimony, and may include other provisions to ensure that the testimony will be accurately recorded and preserved. If testimony at a deposition is taken by remote means other than pursuant to a court order or a stipulation that is made a part of the record, then objections as to the taking of testimony by remote means, the manner of giving the oath or affirmation, and the manner of recording are waived unless objection thereto is made at the taking of the deposition. The oath or affirmation may be administered to the witness either in the presence of the person administering the oath or by remote means, at the election of the party taking the deposition.

C(7)(b) “Remote means” is defined as any form of real-time electronic communication that permits all participants to hear and speak with each other simultaneously and allows official court reporting when requested.

D Examination; record; oath; objections.

D(1) Examination; cross-examination; oath. Examination and cross-examination of deponents may proceed as permitted at trial. The person described in Rule 38 will put the deponent on oath.

D(2) Record of examination. The testimony of the deponent must be recorded either stenographically or as provided in subsection C(4) of this rule. If testimony is recorded pursuant to subsection C(4) of this rule, the party taking the deposition must retain the original recording without alteration, unless the recording is filed with the court pursuant to subsection G(2) of this rule, until final disposition of the action. On request of a party or deponent and payment of the reasonable charges therefor, the testimony will be transcribed.

D(3) Objections. All objections made at the time of the examination must be noted on the record. A party or deponent must state objections concisely and in a non-argumentative and non-suggestive manner. Evidence will be taken subject to the objection, except that a party may instruct a deponent not to answer a question, and a deponent may decline to answer a question, only:

D(3)(a) when necessary to present or preserve a motion under section E of this rule;

D(3)(b) to enforce a limitation on examination ordered by the court; or

D(3)(c) to preserve a privilege or constitutional or statutory right.

D(4) Written questions as alternative. In lieu of participating in an oral examination, parties may serve written questions on the party taking the deposition who will propound them to the deponent on the record.

E Assistance from the court; expenses.

E(1) Motion for court assistance. At any time during the taking of a deposition, on motion and a showing by a party or a deponent that the deposition is being conducted or hindered in bad faith, or in a manner not consistent with these rules, or in a manner as unreasonably to annoy, embarrass, or oppress the deponent or any party, the court may order the officer conducting the examination to cease forthwith from taking the deposition, or may limit the scope or manner of the taking of the deposition as provided in Rule 36 C. The motion must be presented to the court in which the action is pending, except that non-party deponents may present the motion to the court in which the action is pending or the court at the place of examination. If the order terminates the examination, it will be resumed thereafter only on order of the court in which the action is pending. On demand of the moving party or deponent, the parties will suspend the taking of the deposition for the time necessary to make a motion under this subsection.

E(2) Court assistance via remote means. A court may provide the assistance described in subsection E(1) of this rule by remote means. “Remote means” is defined in paragraph C(7)(b) of this rule.

E(3) Allowance of expenses. Rule 46 A(4) applies to the award of expenses incurred in relation to a motion under this section.

F Submission to witness; changes; statement.

F(1) Necessity of submission to witness for examination. When the testimony is taken by stenographic means, or is recorded by other than stenographic means as provided in subsection C(4) of this rule, and if any party or the witness so requests at the time the deposition is taken, the recording or transcription will be submitted to the witness for examination; changes, if any; and statement of correctness. With leave of court the request may be made by a party or witness at any time before trial.

F(2) Procedure after examination. Any changes that the witness desires to make will be entered on the transcription or stated in a writing to accompany the recording by the party taking the deposition, together with a statement of the reasons given by the witness for making them. Notice of changes and reasons must promptly be served on all parties by the party taking the deposition. The witness must then state in writing that the transcription or recording is correct subject to the changes, if any, made by the witness, unless the parties waive the statement or the witness is physically unable to make the statement or cannot be found. If the statement is not made by the witness within 30 days, or within a lesser time if so ordered by the court, after the deposition is submitted to the witness, the party taking the deposition must state on the transcription or in a writing to accompany the recording the fact of waiver, or the physical incapacity or absence of the witness, or the fact of refusal of the witness to make the statement, together with the reasons, if any, given therefor; and the deposition may then be used as fully as though the statement had been made unless, on a motion to suppress under Rule 41 D, the court finds that the reasons given for the refusal to make the statement require rejection of the deposition in whole or in part.

F(3) No request for examination. If no examination by the witness is requested, no statement by the witness as to the correctness of the transcription or recording is required.

G Certification; filing; exhibits; copies.

G(1) Certification. When a deposition is stenographically taken, the stenographic reporter must certify, under oath, on the transcript that the witness was duly sworn and that the transcript is a true record of the testimony given by the witness. When a deposition is recorded by other than stenographic means as provided in subsection C(4) of this rule, and thereafter transcribed, the person transcribing it must certify, under oath, on the transcript that the person heard the witness sworn on the recording and that the transcript is a correct transcription of the recording. When a recording or a non-stenographic deposition or a transcription of the recording or non-stenographic deposition is to be used at any proceeding in the action or is filed with the court, the party taking the deposition, or the party's attorney, must certify under oath that the recording, either filed or furnished to the person making the transcription, is a true, complete, and accurate recording of the deposition of the witness and that the recording has not been altered.

G(2) Filing. If requested by any party, the transcript or the recording of the deposition must be filed with the court where the action is pending. When a deposition is stenographically taken, the stenographic reporter or, in the case of a deposition taken pursuant to subsection C(4) of this rule, the party taking the deposition must enclose it in a sealed envelope, directed to the clerk of the court or the justice of the peace before whom the action is pending or any other person as may by writing be agreed on, and deliver or forward it accordingly by mail or other usual channel of conveyance. If a recording of a deposition has been filed with the court, it may be transcribed on request of any party under any terms and conditions as the court may direct.

G(3) Exhibits. Documents and things produced for inspection during the examination of the witness will, on the request of a party, be marked for identification and annexed to and returned with the deposition, and may be inspected and copied by any party. Whenever the person producing materials desires to retain the originals, the person may substitute copies of the originals, or afford each party an opportunity to make copies thereof. In the event the original materials are retained by the person producing them, they will be marked for identification and the person producing them must afford each party the subsequent opportunity to compare any copy with the original. The person producing the materials will also be required to retain the original materials for subsequent use in any proceeding in the same action. Any party may move for an order that the original be annexed to and returned with the deposition to the court, pending final disposition of the case.

G(4) Copies. On payment of reasonable charges therefor, the stenographic reporter or, in the case of a deposition taken pursuant to subsection C(4) of this rule, the party taking the deposition must furnish a copy of the deposition to any party or to the deponent.

H Payment of expenses on failure to appear.

H(1) Failure of party to attend. If the party giving the notice of the taking of the deposition fails to attend and proceed therewith and another party attends in person or by attorney pursuant to the notice, the court in which the action is pending may order the party giving the notice to pay to the other party the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred by the other party and the attorney for the other party in so attending, including reasonable attorney fees.

H(2) Failure of witness to attend. If the party giving the notice of the taking of a deposition of a witness fails to serve a subpoena on the witness and the witness, because of this failure, does not attend, and if another party attends in person or by attorney because the attending party expects the deposition of that witness to be taken, the court may order the party giving the notice to pay to the other party the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred by the other party and the attorney for the other party in so attending, including reasonable attorney fees.

I Perpetuation of testimony after commencement of action.

I(1) After commencement of any action, any party wishing to perpetuate the testimony of a witness for the purpose of trial or hearing may do so by serving a perpetuation deposition notice.

I(2) The notice is subject to subsection C(1) through subsection C(7) of this rule and must additionally state:

I(2)(a) A brief description of the subject areas of testimony of the witness; and

I(2)(b) The manner of recording the deposition.

I(3) Prior to the time set for the deposition, any other party may object to the perpetuation deposition. Any objection will be governed by the standards of Rule 36 C. If no objection is filed, or if perpetuation is allowed, the testimony taken is admissible at any subsequent trial or hearing in the action, subject to the Oregon Evidence Code. At any hearing on an objection, the burden will be on the party seeking perpetuation to show that:

I(3)(a) the witness may be unavailable as defined in ORS 40.465 (1)(d) or (1)(e) or ORS 45.250 (2)(a) through (2)(c);

I(3)(b) it would be an undue hardship on the witness to appear at the trial or hearing; or

I(3)(c) other good cause exists for allowing the perpetuation.

I(4) Any perpetuation deposition must be taken not less than 7 days before the trial or hearing on not less than 14 days' notice. However, the court in which the action is pending may allow a shorter period for a perpetuation deposition before or during trial on a showing of good cause.

I(5) To the extent that a discovery deposition is allowed by law, any party may conduct a discovery deposition of the witness prior to the perpetuation deposition.

I(6) The perpetuation examination will proceed as set forth in section D of this rule. All objections to any testimony or evidence taken at the deposition must be made at the time and noted on the record. The court before which the testimony is offered will rule on any objections before the testimony is offered. Any objections not made at the deposition will be deemed waived.