Opinion ID: 894944
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: bp products' motion to quash

Text: BP Products asserts that the apex doctrine bars plaintiffs from taking Browne's deposition. Plaintiffs assert the issue is moot because Browne has retired. The apex doctrine, however, does not control the outcome in this case. The discovery agreement displaced the common law standard with the parties' own standard. As BP Products explained in its brief: If new evidence was developed during Manzoni's deposition showing that Browne had unique and superior knowledge of relevant facts, then Browne would be presented at a limited deposition. . . . Both parties retained the right to appeal the trial court's ruling on the new evidence issue. The terms of the parties' discovery agreement apply. The trial court found that new circumstantial evidence developed during Mr. John Manzoni's deposition shows that Mr. Browne has unique or superior knowledge of relevant facts. If some evidence supports the trial court's conclusion, the trial court could order a deposition consistent with the terms of the parties' agreement. See generally Butnaru v. Ford Motor Co., 84 S.W.3d 198, 211 (Tex.2002) (a trial court does not abuse its discretion if some evidence supports its decision). To satisfy the new evidence provision, plaintiffs rely, in part, on Manzoni's inability to answer certain questions about a twenty-five percent budget cut directive issued by BP p.l.c. The trial court concluded that Manzoni's inability to answer these questions constituted new evidence that Browne would have unique and superior knowledge about the budget cuts. This inference might not normally support the taking of an apex deposition. Here, however, the trial court could reasonably construe the new evidence provision of the Rule 191.1 agreement to allow plaintiffs a limited deposition of Browne to answer questions Manzoni may have been unable to answer but Browne could. On this record, under that construction of the parties' agreement, the deposition of John Browne could be taken for one hour, by telephone. The court instead ordered the deposition to proceed without the limitations agreed to by the parties. Though the trial court's new evidence finding would support authorizing plaintiffs to take Browne's deposition consistent with the agreed limitations, the finding does not justify setting aside the agreement.