Civil Procedure
Jul. 2, 2026
Trimming pretrial depositions
When witnesses can be compelled to testify at trial, practitioners should focus depositions on obtaining information they do not already know and avoid revealing their trial strategy.
Jay M. Spillane
Founder
Spillane Trial Group PLC
468 N Camden Dr # 2
Beverly Hills , CA 90210
Phone: (424) 217-5980
Fax: (888) 590-1683
Email: jspillane@spillaneplc.com
UC Hastings COL; San Francisco CA
In civil business trials, the parties and witnesses with information within the broad scope of discovery may be subjected to pretrial "depositions"--oral examinations under oath taken prior to trial. The "person" deposed may be a natural person or an organization. Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 2025.010; FRCP R.30. While courts impose a presumptive time limitation on depositions, often seven hours (FRCP R.30(d)(1), Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 2025.290(a)), those limits have exceptions, th...
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