DEPOSITION

deposition  (dep-<<schwa>>-zish-<<schwa>>n).1.  A  witness’s  out-of-court  testimony  that  is

reduced to writing (usu. by a court reporter) for later use in court or for discovery purposes. See

Fed. R. Civ. P. 30; Fed. R. Crim. P. 15. — Also termed examination before trial. [Cases: Criminal

Law    627.2; Federal Civil Procedure    1311–1456; Pretrial Procedure    91–206. C.J.S. Criminal

Law §  468; Discovery§§  2,  4,  6–7, 9–10, 12–32, 34–61,  69,  77,  125; Pretrial  Procedure§§ 4–6,

10–17, 24, 33, 35–54, 63–66, 70–72, 74, 76–77, 109–129, 132–138.] 2. The session at which such

testimony is recorded.

apex  deposition.The  deposition  of  a  person  whose  position  is  at  the  highest  level  of  a

company’s  hierarchy.  •  Courts  often  preclude  an  apex  deposition  unless  (1)  the  person  to  be

deposed has particular knowledge regarding the claim, and (2) the requesting party cannot obtain

the  requested  —  and  discoverable  —  information  through  less  intrusive  means. [Cases:  Federal

Civil Procedure    1325; Pretrial Procedure    101. C.J.S. Discovery § 17.]

deposition de bene esse (dee bee-nee es-ee also day ben-ay es-ay). A deposition taken from a

witness  who  will  likely  be  unable  to  attend  a  scheduled  trial  or  hearing.  •  If  the  witness  is  not

available to attend trial, the testimony is read at trial as if the  witness were present in court. See

testimony  de  bene  esse  under  TESTIMONY.  [Cases:  Federal  Civil  Procedure    1291–1299,

1311–1456; Pretrial Procedure    61–65. C.J.S. Pretrial Procedure§§ 1, 3–20, 34–54.]

deposition  on  written  questions.A  deposition  given  in  response  to  a  prepared  set  of  written

questions, as opposed to a typical oral deposition. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 31. — Formerly also termed

deposition  on  written  interrogatories. [Cases:  Federal Civil Procedure    1408; Pretrial  Procedure

155. C.J.S. Discovery §§ 55–61.]

“The advantage of a deposition on written questions is that counsel for the parties need not go

to some distant place to be present at the taking of the deposition. Instead they serve on each other

questions and cross questions — and even redirect and recross questions — that they wish to have

put to the  deponent. These are then sent to the  officer who is to take the deposition. The  officer

puts the questions to the witness, records the answers, and transcribes and files the deposition as

with an oral deposition.  The  officer is merely to record  what the witness says in response to the

various questions propounded to him or her.” Charles Alan Wright, The Law of Federal Courts §

85, at 618–19 (5th ed. 1994).

oral  deposition.A  deposition  given  in  response  to  oral  questioning  by  a  lawyer.  [Cases:

Federal Civil Procedure    1381; Pretrial Procedure    151. C.J.S. Discovery §§ 30, 51–53.]

30(b)(6)  deposition.Under  the  Federal  Rules  of  Civil  Procedure,  the  deposition  of  an

organization, through the organization’s designated representative. • Under Rule 30(b)(6), a party

may  take  the  deposition  of  an  organization,  such  as  a  corporation.  The  notice  of  deposition  (or

subpoena) may name the organization and may specify the matters to be covered in the deposition.

The organization must then designate a person to testify about those matters on its behalf. Fed. R.

Civ.  P.  30(b)(6).  Most  states  authorize  a  similar  procedure  under  state-court  procedural  rules.

[Cases: Federal Civil Procedure    1325.]

3.  The  written  record  of  a  witness’s  out-of-court  testimony.  4.Eccles.  law.  The  involuntary

release    of    a    clergyman    from    the    exercise    of    his    office.    Cf.    DEGRADATION(1);

DEPRIVATION(4). [Blacks Law 8th]