NON-PARTY DISCOVERY IN CALIFORNIA

__________________________________________________ NON-PARTY DISCOVERY IN CALIFORNIA

__________________________________________________

LUCAS A. MESSENGER ROBINS KAPLAN LLP 2049 CENTURY PARK EAST, SUITE 3400 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90067

TEL: (310) 229-5824 March 30, 2015

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CONTENTS

I. Which Discovery Tools Are Available For Non-Parties? .................................................. 1

II. Responding To Deposition Subpoenas ............................................................................... 4

A. First Things First: Personal Jurisdiction, California Subpoena Jurisdiction, And Residency ........................................................................................................ 4

1. Personal Jurisdiction v. Subpoena Jurisdiction........................................... 4

2. Residency Of Natural Persons .................................................................... 6

3. Residency Of Organizations ....................................................................... 7

4. Whose Residency Controls When A Business Records Deposition Subpoena Seeks Testimony From An Organization? The Organization Or Its Designated Witness?................................................... 8

B. Is There A Protective Order In Place And Are Non-Parties Covered?................. 10

C. Does A Non-Party Have A Duty To Preserve Documents? ................................. 11

D. Special Consumer Records Requirements ............................................................ 14

E. Special Employee Records Requirements ............................................................ 14

III. Methods Of Responding To Deposition Subpoenas ......................................................... 15

A. Serve Only Objections .......................................................................................... 16

B. Motion For Protective Order................................................................................. 17

C. Motion To Quash .................................................................................................. 17

D. Do Parties Also Have A Right To Challenge Non-Party Deposition Subpoenas? ........................................................................................................... 17

IV. The Subpoenaing Party's Response: The Motion To Compel......................................... 18

V. General Non-Party Deposition Subpoena Provisions ....................................................... 19

A. Who may issue a deposition subpoena, and does it have to be sealed?................ 19

B. Who is allowed to serve a deposition subpoena?.................................................. 20

C. What type of service is required?.......................................................................... 20

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D. How early in the proceedings may a deposition subpoena first be issued? .......... 20

E. How quickly must a non-party respond to the deposition subpoena? .................. 21

F. When must objections be filed? ............................................................................ 21

G. When do the parties have to complete discovery?................................................ 21

H. Does the deposition subpoena have to be filed with the court? ............................ 21

VI. Oral Deposition Subpoenas............................................................................................... 22

A. Notice Provisions For Oral Deposition Subpoenas .............................................. 22

1. What information must the oral deposition subpoena contain?................ 22

2. Who must receive notice of the oral deposition subpoena?...................... 23

3. What documents must be served along with the deposition notice? ........ 23

4. What information must the deposition notice contain? ............................ 23

5. How quickly may an oral deposition be scheduled?................................. 23

6. Does the deponent have to appear at the oral deposition in person? ........ 24

7. Who is authorized to conduct an oral deposition? .................................... 24

8. Does the deposition subpoena have to be accompanied by a good cause affidavit? ......................................................................................... 24

9. What happens if a non-party fails to comply with an oral deposition subpoena? ................................................................................ 24

B. The Location Of The Oral Deposition .................................................................. 25

1. Deponent As Natural Person..................................................................... 25

2. Deponent As Organization........................................................................ 25

C. Witness Fees For Oral Depositions....................................................................... 25

D. Designating A Witness ......................................................................................... 26

VII. Business Records Deposition Subpoenas For Copying Business Records....................... 28

A. Business Records Deposition Subpoena ProvisionsError! Bookmark not defined.

1. The Manner In Which A Non-Party May Be Directed To Respond ........ 28

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2. Provisions Applicable To All Business Records Deposition Subpoena For Copying Business Records ................................................ 29

a. How do the business records sought by the subpoena have to be described?..............................................................................29

b. To whom must the subpoena be directed? .....................................30

c. Does the subpoena have to be accompanied by an affidavit showing good cause? .....................................................................30

d. Is a deposition notice required? .....................................................30

e. How quickly must the non-party produce the documents?............31

f. Does the non-party's production have to be accompanied by an affidavit? ..............................................................................31

g. What should a non-party do if there are no responsive business records? ...........................................................................32

3. Provisions Applicable Only To Records Delivered To A Deposition Officer .................................................................................... 32

a. What documents must be delivered to the deposition officer? ...........................................................................................32

b. When does the production to a deposition officer have to be sealed? ............................................................................................32

c. What provisions for copying have to be made for the deposition officer? .........................................................................32

4. Provisions Applicable Only To Records Made Available For Inspection And Copying By The Subpoenaing Attorney Or The Attorney's Representative......................................................................... 33

a. When does CCP ? 2020.430 ("Delivery for copying; requirements; time to deliver; application of Evidence Code concerning inspection of records") apply to business deposition subpoenas? ...................................................................33

b. When and where do the records have to be made available for copying? ...................................................................................33

B. E-Discovery Procedures........................................................................................ 33

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1. Are the provisions applicable to other subpoenas applicable to business records deposition subpoenas that seek ESI? ............................. 34

2. In what format must the ESI be produced?............................................... 34

3. What if ESI is not reasonably accessible? ................................................ 34

4. What happens if the court determines the ESI is not reasonably accessible?................................................................................................. 35

5. How are non-parties protected from often unreasonable demands of non-party ESI discovery? ..................................................................... 35

6. Is the clawback provision for ESI applicable to non-parties?................... 36

7. Is there a safe harbor provision for non-parties? ...................................... 36

C. Consumer/Employee Business Records ............................................................... 36

D. Recoverable Costs Associated With The Production Of Business Records In Response To A Subpoena................................................................................. 37

1. What constitutes reasonable costs where the custodian copies and produces the business records? ................................................................. 37

2. What constitutes reasonable costs where the custodian delivers the business records for copying? ................................................................... 37

3. When do reasonable costs have to be paid?.............................................. 37

E. Custody Or Control: What Documents Need To Be Produced?.......................... 38

F. Opposing The Deposition Subpoena Based On The Location Of The Business Records .................................................................................................. 39

1. U.S. Organization Created Under California Law.................................... 39

a. Business Records Located In California........................................39

b. Business Records Located Outside California...............................40

c. Business Records Located In Foreign Country .............................40

2. U.S. Organization Not Created Under California Law............................. 40

a. Business Records Located In California........................................40

b. Business Records Located Outside California...............................40

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