Opinion ID: 1747978
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Quashing Subpoenas for Post-Trial Depositions

Text: Appellant further contends the trial court erred by quashing his post-trial subpoenas of the prosecutor and prosecutor's investigator, refusing to allow them to be deposed on the matter of how the State obtained the billing records from the Office of Administration. There is no merit in this claim. The right to take depositions is subject to the power of the trial court to issue protective orders to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including an order that discovery not be had. State ex rel. Chaney v. Franklin, 941 S.W.2d 790, 792-793 (Mo.App.1997). Any attempt to depose an opposing counsel calls for special scrutiny because such depositions inherently constitute an invitation to harass the attorney and parties.... Id. at 793. Here, the question of exactly how the State obtained the records from the Office of Administration is of no particular significance; and Appellant has failed to show that the requested post-trial depositions of the prosecutor and his investigator could have revealed any new information that was necessary for his case, or could have changed the outcome of the case. Nor does Appellant attempt to explain why he waited until after trial to seek to depose the prosecutor and his investigator on this matter, even though he knew about the issue well before trial occurred. The trial court did not err by quashing Appellant's subpoenas and refusing to allow him to conduct the requested post-trial depositions.