Case Name: Sundell Company, Inc., Plaintiff, v. Pioneer Building-Loan & Savings Association of Troy, Defendant
Court: New York Supreme Court
Jurisdiction: New York
Decision Date: 1950-02-06
Citations: 197 Misc. 580
Docket Number: 
Parties: Sundell Company, Inc., Plaintiff, v. Pioneer Building-Loan & Savings Association of Troy, Defendant.
Judges: 
Reporter: New York Miscellaneous Reports
Volume: 197
Pages: 580–580

Head Matter:
Sundell Company, Inc., Plaintiff, v. Pioneer Building-Loan & Savings Association of Troy, Defendant.
Supreme Court, Special Term, Albany County,
February 6, 1950.
William K. Sanford for plaintiff.
Murphy, Aldrich, Guy, Broderick & Simon for defendant.

Opinion:
Taylor, J.
The plaintiff seeks " an order directing the taking of the testimony of the defendant corporation by the oral testimony under oath of Paul V. Martin as a former officer and employee of the defendant corporation " upon matters
specifically set forth in the notice of motion. Such may not be ordered. (Cocolicchio v. Emigrant Industrial Sav. Bank, 248 App. Div. 196; McGowan v. Eastman, 271 N. Y. 195; Koolery v. Lindemann, 195 Misc. 218; Civ. Prac. Act, § 289.)
The " special circumstances " which may in an appropriate case render it proper to take a deposition apply only to depositions of a witness. The only requirement for taking the deposition of a party is that it be " material and necessary in the prosecution or defense of the action." (Civ. Prac. Act, § 288; Breault v. Embossing Co., 253 App. Div. 175.) Where the adverse party is a corporation, its testimony may only be taken through the testimony of " one or more of its officers, directors, agents or employees " (Civ. Prac. Act, § 289) and former employees or officers are not within the purview of the statute.
The motion is denied, without costs.
Submit order.