CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 645Introduced by Senator MonningFebruary 22, 2019 An act to add Section 2025.295 to the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to depositions. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 645, as introduced, Monning. Civil discovery: depositions.Existing law authorizes any party to obtain discovery in civil actions by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action. Under existing law, a deposition examination of the witness by all counsel, other than the witness counsel of record, is generally limited to 7 hours of total testimony. Existing law provides an exception to the 7-hour limitation for depositions taken in cases designated as complex. In such cases, the deposition examination of a witness by all counsel other than the witness counsel of record is limited to 2 days of no more than 7 hours of total testimony each day, or 14 hours of total testimony, unless a licensed physician attests that the deponent suffers from an illness or condition that raises substantial medical doubt of the deponents survival beyond 6 months.This bill would require that, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by counsel other than the plaintiffs counsel of record be limited to 7 hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond 6 months. A party would be authorized by this bill to seek up to 3 hours of additional deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The bill would authorize a court to grant an extension beyond 7 hours if the court finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 2025.295 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure, to read:2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION Senate Bill No. 645Introduced by Senator MonningFebruary 22, 2019 An act to add Section 2025.295 to the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to depositions. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSB 645, as introduced, Monning. Civil discovery: depositions.Existing law authorizes any party to obtain discovery in civil actions by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action. Under existing law, a deposition examination of the witness by all counsel, other than the witness counsel of record, is generally limited to 7 hours of total testimony. Existing law provides an exception to the 7-hour limitation for depositions taken in cases designated as complex. In such cases, the deposition examination of a witness by all counsel other than the witness counsel of record is limited to 2 days of no more than 7 hours of total testimony each day, or 14 hours of total testimony, unless a licensed physician attests that the deponent suffers from an illness or condition that raises substantial medical doubt of the deponents survival beyond 6 months.This bill would require that, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by counsel other than the plaintiffs counsel of record be limited to 7 hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond 6 months. A party would be authorized by this bill to seek up to 3 hours of additional deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The bill would authorize a court to grant an extension beyond 7 hours if the court finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: NO Local Program: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20192020 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill No. 645
Introduced by Senator MonningFebruary 22, 2019
Introduced by Senator Monning
February 22, 2019
An act to add Section 2025.295 to the Code of Civil Procedure, relating to depositions.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 645, as introduced, Monning. Civil discovery: depositions.
Existing law authorizes any party to obtain discovery in civil actions by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action. Under existing law, a deposition examination of the witness by all counsel, other than the witness counsel of record, is generally limited to 7 hours of total testimony. Existing law provides an exception to the 7-hour limitation for depositions taken in cases designated as complex. In such cases, the deposition examination of a witness by all counsel other than the witness counsel of record is limited to 2 days of no more than 7 hours of total testimony each day, or 14 hours of total testimony, unless a licensed physician attests that the deponent suffers from an illness or condition that raises substantial medical doubt of the deponents survival beyond 6 months.This bill would require that, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by counsel other than the plaintiffs counsel of record be limited to 7 hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond 6 months. A party would be authorized by this bill to seek up to 3 hours of additional deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The bill would authorize a court to grant an extension beyond 7 hours if the court finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
Existing law authorizes any party to obtain discovery in civil actions by taking the oral deposition of any person, including any party to the action. Under existing law, a deposition examination of the witness by all counsel, other than the witness counsel of record, is generally limited to 7 hours of total testimony. Existing law provides an exception to the 7-hour limitation for depositions taken in cases designated as complex. In such cases, the deposition examination of a witness by all counsel other than the witness counsel of record is limited to 2 days of no more than 7 hours of total testimony each day, or 14 hours of total testimony, unless a licensed physician attests that the deponent suffers from an illness or condition that raises substantial medical doubt of the deponents survival beyond 6 months.
This bill would require that, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by counsel other than the plaintiffs counsel of record be limited to 7 hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond 6 months. A party would be authorized by this bill to seek up to 3 hours of additional deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The bill would authorize a court to grant an extension beyond 7 hours if the court finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 2025.295 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure, to read:2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 2025.295 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure, to read:2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
SECTION 1. Section 2025.295 is added to the Code of Civil Procedure, to read:
### SECTION 1.
2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.
2025.295. (a) Notwithstanding Section 2025.290, in any civil action for injury or illness that results in mesothelioma or silicosis, a deposition examination of the plaintiff by all counsel, other than the plaintiffs counsel of record, shall be limited to seven hours of total testimony if a licensed physician attests in a declaration served on the parties that the deponent suffers from mesothelioma or silicosis, raising substantial medical doubt of the survival of the deponent beyond six months.
(b) Notwithstanding the presumptive time limit in subdivision (a), upon request by a defendant, a court may, in its discretion, grant up to an additional three hours of deposition testimony for no more than 10 hours of total deposition conducted by the defendants. The court may grant an extension if it finds that an extension is in the interest of fairness, and determines that the health of the deponent does not appear to be endangered by the grant of additional time.