Opinion ID: 1750025
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Use of Other Depositions Given by Dodson in Previous Cases

Text: In his next issue on appeal, Dodson argues that the trial court erred in allowing Allstate to read into the record testimony given by Dodson in depositions in prior legal cases of his patients. Dodson objected that Allstate could not read into the record this testimony without the proper procedure, that being to allow Dodson to comment during cross-examination or impeachment regarding the deposition testimony. Allstate responds that Rule 32 of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure allows the admission of this deposition testimony because Dodson is a party in the case. This issue revolves around the unclear language of Rule 32 and the purpose for which Allstate presented the deposition evidence. Rule 32 states in pertinent part: (a) Use of Depositions. At the trial or upon the hearing of a motion or an interlocutory proceeding, any part or all of a deposition, so far as admissible under the rules of evidence applied as though the witness were then present and testifying, may be used against any party who was present or represented at the taking of the deposition or who had reasonable notice thereof, in accordance with any of the following provisions: (1) Any deposition may be used by any party for the purpose of contradicting or impeaching the testimony of deponent as a witness or for any other purpose permitted by the Arkansas Rules of Evidence. (2) The deposition of a party or of anyone who, at the time of taking the deposition was an officer, director, or managing agent, or a person designated under Rule 30(b)(6) or 31(a) to testify on behalf of a public or private corporation, partnership or association or governmental agency which is a party, may be used by an adverse party for any purpose. (3) The deposition of a witness, whether or not a party, may be used by any party for any purpose if the court finds: (A) that the witness is dead; or (B) that the witness is at a greater distance than 100 miles from the place of trial or hearing, or is out of this state, unless it appears that the absence of a witness was procured by the party offering the deposition; or (C) that the witness is unable to attend or testify because of age, illness, infirmity, or imprisonment; or (D) the party offering the deposition has been unable to procure the attendance of the witness by subpoena; or (E) upon application and notice, that such exceptional circumstances exist as to make it desirable, in the interest of justice and with due regard to the importance of presenting the testimony of witnesses orally in open court, to allow the deposition to be used. A deposition taken without leave of court pursuant to a notice under Rule 30(b)(2) shall not be used against a party who demonstrates that, when served with the notice, it was unable through the exercise of diligence to obtain counsel to represent it at the taking of the deposition; nor shall a deposition be used against a party who, having received less than 11 days notice of a deposition, has promptly upon receiving such notice filed a motion for a protective order under Rule 26(c)(2) requesting that the deposition not be held or be held at a different time or place and such motion is pending at the time the deposition is held. (4) If only part of a deposition is offered in evidence by a party, an adverse party may require him to introduce any other part which ought in fairness to be considered with the part introduced, and any party may introduce any other parts. Under section (a)(1) of this rule, a party may use a witness's prior deposition testimony to impeach or contradict that witness's testimony in the present case. The rule does not limit the use of this rule to non-party witnesses, but presumably allows a party's deposition in a prior action to be used against him or her in a case in which that person is a party. Furthermore, Rule 613 of the Arkansas Rules of Evidence governs when a witness's prior statements can be used at trial against him. This rule states: (a) Examining Witness Concerning Prior Statement. In examining a witness concerning a prior statement made by him, whether written or not, the statement need not be shown nor its contents disclosed to him at that time, but on request the same shall be shown or disclosed to opposing counsel. (b) Extrinsic Evidence of Prior Inconsistent Statement of Witness. Extrinsic evidence of a prior inconsistent statement by a witness is not admissible unless the witness is afforded an opportunity to explain or deny the same and the opposite party is afforded an opportunity to explain or deny the same and the opposite party is afforded an opportunity to interrogate him thereon, or the interests of justice otherwise require. This provision does not apply to admissions of a party-opponent as defined in Rule 801(d)(2). According to this rule, when prior inconsistent statements are to be used by a party, the party must provide the witness an opportunity to respond. However, as noted in section (b), this rule does not apply to admissions by a party-opponent under Rule 801(d)(2). Again, the admission of this evidence is subject to the trial court's discretion, and we find that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing Allstate to read into evidence deposition testimony given previously by Dodson.