Opinion ID: 1512483
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Waiver of testimony by opening the door

Text: Lastly, Shuler claims that the Bensons opened the door on this testimony in Dr. Callaway's deposition and, therefore, have waived their right to complain about it. Yet, as the Bensons point out in their brief, the parties stipulated prior to the taking of the deposition that [t]he right to object to the testimony of the witness on the grounds of incompetency, irrelevancy and immateriality is expressly reserved.... Our rules of civil procedure permit parties to stipulate to preserve any objections as to the taking of the deposition until the time of trial. See Ark.R.Civ.P. 29; Carlton Bailey, Usual Stipulations are Usually a Mistake at the Oral Deposition, 1991 Ark.L. Notes 3. In addition, Ark.R.Civ.P. 32(b) provides that an objection may be made at the trial or hearing to receiving into evidence any deposition or part thereof for any reason which would require the exclusion of the evidence if the witness was then present and testifying. Shelter Mut. Ins. Co. v. Tucker, 295 Ark. 260, 748 S.W.2d 136 (1988). As such, even though the Bensons first explored the medical history in a limited manner during the taking of Dr. Callaway's deposition, they have a well-established right to make objections and to try to excise portions of his testimony at trial.