Opinion ID: 1148283
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 19

Heading: use of adkins' deposition

Text: MONY asserts that it was prejudicial error for the trial court to admit into evidence the deposition of Dr. Adkins, since it was denied the right to cross-examine him with regard to testimony given at the trial, and since Corporate Planning and Wimberly failed to exercise due diligence in procuring Dr. Adkins' attendance. MONY claims that the effort supplied by Corporate Planning and Wimberly in finding and serving Dr. Adkins is woefully short of the due diligence required to be shown before the trial court is allowed to use a deposition in his stead. The record reflects that Dr. Adkins' office was located about twenty (20) miles from the courthouse. Only one attempt was made to serve Dr. Adkins, at which time he was in surgery. In response to MONY's objection to the deposition, the lower court allowed the deposition's use as a special circumstance since Dr. Adkins was a surgeon. The Miss.R.Civ.Proc. Rule 32(a)(3)(D) provides: (a) Use of Depositions. At the trial or upon the hearing of a motion of an interlocutory proceeding, any part or all or 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:       (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 one hundred miles from the place of trial or hearing, or is out of the state, unless it appears that the absence of the 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) that 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. We have not been cited to a Mississippi decision addressing Rule 32(a)(3)(D). In Rascon v. Hardiman, 803 F.2d 269 (7th Cir.1986), the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that admission of deposition testimony is within the sound discretion of the trial court. However, that court noted that the trial judge was satisfied due diligence was met. Rascon, supra . The lower court, in the case sub judice, responding to MONY's argument as to the lack of due diligence by Corporate Planning and Wimberly, stated: Of course I know ordinarily it wouldn't be, but when you have doctors and surgeons and all, I think we ought to bend the rule and try to use depositions when we can where they are involved. The lower court did not find that Corporate Planning and Wimberly were diligent in attempting to procure the presence of Dr. Adkins. However, the argument and brief of MONY did not inform or indicate to this Court any benefit it would have received from Dr. Adkins's presence, nor does MONY state how it was prejudiced by the use of the deposition. We note that MONY was the party originally initiating the taking of Dr. Adkins' deposition, and that MONY questioned him extensively. Therefore, we are of the opinion that in the absence of prejudice, failure to procure the presence of Dr. Adkins at trial does not constitute reversible error. Miss.Sup.Ct. Rule 11. AFFIRMED ON CONDITION OF REMITTITUR. HAWKINS, P.J., and PRATHER and GRIFFIN, JJ., concur. DAN M. LEE, P.J., and ANDERSON and SULLIVAN, JJ., dissent. ROBERTSON, J., dissents by separate opinion. ZUCCARO, J., not participating.