Opinion ID: 1922281
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refusal to compel signing of deposition.

Text: Appellant subpoenaed Ruth Fischer, an employee of Lutheran Hospital, for the purpose of taking her deposition.  Such deposition was taken, but the deponent refused to sign it, alleging that it contained errors. Appellant moved the court to order Ruth Fischer to sign the deposition without making the corrections she felt necessary. This the court refused to do, but rather allowed the deponent to rectify whatever portions of her testimony she felt were in error. The order merely regulates the procedure of taking a deposition. Such an order is not appealable. Hyslop v. Hyslop (1940), 234 Wis. 430, 291 N. W. 337; Quality Outfitters v. Risko (1958), 4 Wis. 2d 341, 90 N. W. 2d 638. Even if the order were appealable, it would not be error for the court to allow corrections to be made in the deposition. As was stated in Baltzer v. Chicago, Madison & Northern RR. Co. (1895), 89 Wis. 257, 263, 60 N. W. 716, with respect to allowing a witness at trial to amend his deposition: ... This, as we understand it, was the correction of his own testimony, and that was proper. That should not be denied to any witness....