Montana § 46-15-202 - Procedure For Taking Depositions

§ 46-15-202. Procedure For Taking Depositions

Procedure for taking depositions. (1) The party at whose instance a deposition is to be taken shall give to every other party reasonable written notice of the time and place for taking the deposition. The notice must state the name and address of each person to be examined. On motion of the party upon whom the notice is served, the municipal or district court for cause shown may extend or shorten the time or change the place for taking the deposition. (2) A deposition must be taken in the manner provided in civil actions. The court, upon request, may direct that a deposition be taken on written interrogatories in the manner provided in civil actions. However, a deposition may not be taken of a party defendant without the defendant's consent, and the scope and manner of examination and cross-examination must be restricted as would be allowed in the trial itself. (3) The deposition must be filed with the court making the order and held until the trial. Either party shall make available to the other party or the other party's counsel for examination and use at the taking of the deposition any relevant, nonprivileged statement of the witness being deposed that is in the possession of either party. (4) Objections to deposition testimony or evidence or parts of the testimony or evidence may be reserved for subsequent determination by the court. (5) Unless a defendant in custody has waived, in writing, the right to be present at the taking of a deposition, the officer having custody of the defendant must be notified of the time and place set for the deposition. The officer having custody shall produce the defendant and keep the defendant in the presence of a witness during the deposition. (6) A defendant not in custody who fails to appear, without good cause, at the taking of a deposition after being notified of the time and place set for the deposition will be considered to have waived the right to be present as provided in 46-16-122 . The waiver includes a waiver of any objection to the taking and use of the deposition based upon that right. (7) Whenever a deposition is taken at the instance of the prosecution or whenever a deposition is taken at the instance of a defendant who is unable to bear the expense of taking a deposition, the court shall direct that the expense of travel and subsistence of the defendant and the defendant's counsel for attendance at the examination and the cost of the transcript of the deposition be paid by the city for a municipal court proceeding or by the state for a district court proceeding.