Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01487/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01487-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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1 06cv01487 LAB (CAB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CARL BRYAN, Civil No. 06cv01487 LAB (CAB)

Plaintiff,

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND

DENYING IN PART PLAINTIFF’S

MOTION TO COMPEL DEPOSITION

RESPONSES FROM DEFENDANT

McPHERSON

v.

BRIAN McPHERSON; PAUL CROOK;

CORONADO POLICE DEPARTMENT; CITY

OF CORONADO,

Defendants.

On August 13, 2007, this Court held a telephonic conference on Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel

Deposition Responses from Defendant McPherson. Eugene Iredale, Esq., appeared for Plaintiff. Carrie

Mitchell, Esq., appeared for Defendants. Having considered the submissions of the parties and the

arguments of counsel, Plaintiff’s motion is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART.

On May 7, 2007, Plaintiff took the deposition of Defendant McPherson. Counsel for Defendant

objected to certain questions regarding Defendant’s personnel and training records as privileged and

instructed the officer not to answer until a Protective Order was entered in the case. On June 14, 2007,

the parties were ordered to submit a Protective Order regarding the production of Defendant

McPherson’s records and any incident reports, and Defendant was ordered to produce the responsive

records and reports following the entry of the Protective Order. The deposition of Defendant McPherson

was to be reconvened following the production.

Case 3:06-cv-01487-LAB-CAB Document 48 Filed 08/14/07 Page 1 of 3
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2 06cv01487 LAB (CAB)

On July 26, 2007, the deposition of Defendant McPherson was reconvened. During the

deposition, counsel for Defendant instructed the witness not to answer hypothetical questions posed by

Plaintiff’s counsel. (McPherson Deposition, July 26, 2007, at 14:17 to 15:20; 19:6 to 20:17; 22:2-24;

26:11 to 28:8.) Other than these questions, the deposition of Defendant McPherson concluded on July

26, 2007. (Id. at 48:5-8.) Plaintiff has now moved for an order compelling responses to the questions

the witness was instructed not to answer.

Plaintiff’s motion is GRANTED. The instruction not to answer was not based on the assertion

of privilege. Defendant’s counsel’s objections were that the questions were speculative, irrelevant,

improper, or incomplete hypotheticals and she therefore instructed her client not to answer. Counsel’s

objections may be sound and are properly preserved by stating them in a non-argumentative manner on

the record. The instruction not to answer was improper. 

 Defendant McPherson shall return for his deposition to provide responses to the questions he

was improperly instructed not to answer, specifically:

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Defendant McPherson will provide good faith responses to the questions. Plaintiff may make

reasonable follow-up inquiry to Defendant’s responses. The deposition is limited to one hour. Counsel

for Defendant is admonished to make only concise objections and to refrain from arguing with opposing

counsel or interfering with the proceedings. The deposition shall be concluded no later than August

27, 2007, absent a showing of good cause. Defendant will pay the costs (court reporter’s fee and

transcript fee) of the deposition.

Case 3:06-cv-01487-LAB-CAB Document 48 Filed 08/14/07 Page 2 of 3
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3 06cv01487 LAB (CAB)

Plaintiff’s requests for (1) an extension of the discovery deadline and (2) for denial of

Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment are DENIED. Plaintiff’s request for sanctions in form of

the fees incurred in bringing the motion is DENIED.

DATED: August 14, 2007

CATHY ANN BENCIVENGO

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:06-cv-01487-LAB-CAB Document 48 Filed 08/14/07 Page 3 of 3