Opinion ID: 520618
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Exclusion of the Patrick Lewis Deposition

Text: 38 Moore finally claims that the trial court erred by excluding the deposition of Lewis. The deposition was important, in the absence of Lewis personally, since it confirmed that the grievances were filed by the four appellants with Lewis, and that there were staff meetings with Lewis and Coleman concerning the grievances. She also claims the deposition was necessary to refute Coleman's testimony concerning the grievances of the appellants. Moore contends, on appeal, that the pretrial deposition of Lewis on March 7, 1984, was admissible under F.R.Evid., Rule 804(a)(5) and (b)(1), but recites only the language of the rule itself. 39 Although Lewis was listed as a witness for appellants on the pretrial order filed on September 23, 1985, Lewis was not present at the trial to testify. At trial, Moore completely failed to explain Lewis' absence, nor on appeal has there been an explanation of the absence of Lewis. 40 Moore's failure to establish adequately the unavailability of Lewis at the trial below defeats her argument on appeal. In order to have a deposition admitted at trial in lieu of the actual testimony of the witness, the unavailability of the witness must be established. Dartez v. Fibreboard Corp., 765 F.2d 456, 463 (5th Cir.1985). 41 Under the Rules of Evidence, a witness is unavailable when she is absent from the hearing and the proponent of a statement has been unable to procure the declarant's attendance ... by process or other reasonable means. F.R.Evid., 804(a)(5). 42 The inability to procure the declarant's attendance is further explained by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 32(a)(3) which lists circumstances under which a declarant is available and a deposition may be used at trial. Under this rule, a declarant's deposition may be used if she is shown to be (i) dead, (ii) more than 100 miles away from the place of trial, (iii) is incapacitated by age, illness, infirmity or imprisonment, (iv) the party offering the deposition has been unable to subpoena the declarant, and (v) exceptional circumstances under which the trial court, in the interest of justice, should allow the use of the deposition. F.R.Civ.P. 32(a)(3). 43 The trial court cannot act spontaneously in these circumstances. Rather, it must be given a reason that conforms to Rules 804(a)(5) and 32(a)(3) to allow in the deposition. The burden is on the offering party to supply such justification. In this case, Moore offered nothing except the plain assertion that Lewis was unavailable. Moore made no effort to explain the unavailability or offer some explanation to the trial court and thus failed to meet her burden. We therefore find that the trial court did not err in excluding the testimony by deposition of Lewis. 44 AFFIRMED.