§ 2025.420 Protective orders; time to petition court; persons authorized to petition; authority and action by court; monetary sanctions
§ 2025.420. Protective orders; time to petition court; persons authorized to petition; authority and action by
court; monetary sanctions
(a) Before, during, or after a deposition, any party, any deponent, or any other affected natural person or organization may promptly move for a protective order. The motion shall be accompanied by a meet and confer declaration under Section 2016.040.
(b) The court, for good cause shown, may make any order that justice requires to protect any party, deponent, or other natural person or organization from unwarranted annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, or undue burden and expense. This protective order may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following directions:
(1) That the deposition not be taken at all.
(2) That the deposition be taken at a different time.
(3) That a video recording of the deposition testimony of a treating or consulting physician or of any expert witness, intended for possible use at trial under subdivision (d) of Section 2025.620, be postponed until the moving party has had an adequate opportunity to prepare, by discovery deposition of the deponent, or other means, for cross-examination.
(4) That the deposition be taken at a place other than that specified in the deposition notice, if it is within a distance permitted by Sections 2025.250 and 2025.260.
(5) That the deposition be taken only on certain specified terms and conditions.
(6) That the deponent's testimony be taken by written, instead of oral, examination.
(7) That the method of discovery be interrogatories to a party instead of an oral deposition.
(8) That the testimony be recorded in a manner different from that specified in the deposition notice.
(9) That certain matters not be inquired into.
(10) That the scope of the examination be limited to certain matters.
(11) That all or certain of the writings or tangible things designated in the deposition notice not be produced, inspected, or copied.
(12) That designated persons, other than the parties to the action and their officers and counsel, be excluded from attending the deposition.
(13) That a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information not be disclosed or be disclosed only to specified persons or only in a specified way.
(14) That the parties simultaneously file specified documents enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the court.
(15) That the deposition be sealed and thereafter opened only on order of the court.
(16) That examination of the deponent be terminated. If an order terminates the examination, the deposition shall not thereafter be resumed, except on order of the court.
(c) If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or in part, the court may order that the deponent provide or permit the discovery against which protection was sought on those terms and conditions that are just.
(d) The court shall impose a monetary sanction under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 2023.010) against any party, person, or attorney who unsuccessfully makes or opposes a motion for a protective order, unless it finds that the one subject to the sanction acted with substantial justification or that other circumstances make the imposition of the sanction unjust.