2014 -- S 2587

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LC004186

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - UNIFORM INTERSTATE

DEPOSITIONS AND DISCOVERY ACT

     

     Introduced By: Senator Michael J.McCaffrey

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Title 9 of the General Laws entitled "COURTS AND CIVIL

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PROCEDURE-PROCEDURE GENERALLY" is hereby amended by adding thereto the

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following chapter:

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CHAPTER 18.1

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UNIFORM INTERSTATE DEPOSITIONS AND DISCOVERY ACT

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     9-18.1-1. Short title. – This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Uniform

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Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act."

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     9-18.1-2. Definitions. – As used in this chapter:

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     (1) "Foreign jurisdiction" means a state other than this state.

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     (2) "Foreign subpoena" means a subpoena issued under authority of a court of record of a

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foreign jurisdiction.

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     (3) "Person" means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership,

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limited liability company, association, joint venture, public corporation, government, or

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governmental subdivision, agency or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity.

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     (4) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the

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United States Virgin Islands, [a federally recognized Indian tribe], or any territory or insular

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possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

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     (5) "Subpoena" means a document, however denominated, issued under authority of a

 

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court of record requiring a person to:

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     (i) Attend and give testimony at a deposition;

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     (ii) Produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, documents, records,

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electronically stored information, or tangible things in the possession, custody, or control of the

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person; or

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     (iii) Permit inspection of premises under the control of the person.

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     9-18.1-3. Issuance of subpoena. – (a) To request issuance of a subpoena under this

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section, a party must submit a foreign subpoena to a clerk of court in the county in which

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discovery is sought to be conducted in this state. A request for the issuance of a subpoena under

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this act does not constitute an appearance in the courts of this state.

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     (b) When a party submits a foreign subpoena to a clerk of court in this state, the clerk, in

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accordance with that court’s procedure, shall promptly issue a subpoena for service upon the

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person to which the foreign subpoena is directed.

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     (c) A subpoena under subsection (b) must:

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     (1) Incorporate the terms used in the foreign subpoena; and

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     (2) Contain or be accompanied by the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all

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counsel of record in the proceeding to which the subpoena relates and of any party not

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represented by counsel.

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      9-18.1-4. Service of subpoena. – A subpoena issued by a clerk of court under § 9-18.1-3

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must be served in compliance with Rule 45 of the Superior Court Rules of Civil Procedure.

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     9-18.1-5. Deposition, production, and inspection. – Discovery permitted by § 9-18.1-3

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shall comply with the laws and rules of procedure for this state.

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     9-18.1-6. Application to court. – An application to the court for a protective order or to

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enforce, quash, or modify a subpoena issued by a clerk of court under § 9-18.1-3 must comply

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with the rules or statutes of this state and be submitted to the court in the county in which

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discovery is to be conducted.

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     9-18.1-7. Uniformity of application and construction. – In applying and construing this

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uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to promote uniformity of the law with

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respect to its subject matter among states that enact it.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to requests for

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discovery in cases pending on and after the effective date of this act.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE - UNIFORM INTERSTATE

DEPOSITIONS AND DISCOVERY ACT

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     This act adopts the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act which sets forth an

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efficient and inexpensive procedure for litigants to depose out of state individuals and for the

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production of discoverable materials that may be located out of state. Uniform procedures have

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become necessary as the amount of litigation involving individuals and documents located

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outside of the trial state has increased.

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     This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to requests for discovery in

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cases pending on and after the effective date of this act.

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LC004186

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LC004186 - Page 3 of 2