§ 2028.070.Orders for protection of parties and deponents; additional court remedies

A written deposition doesn't always go as planned, and this section gives the court several ways to fix it. Beyond whatever protective order it could already enter for depositions generally, the court can order that the deponent's testimony be taken by oral examination instead of written questions, effectively converting the deposition format midstream. It can also let one or more of the parties who received notice of the written deposition attend in person or through an attorney and question the deponent live rather than relying solely on pre-written questions.

The court can also address the objection process directly, ruling on pending form objections or privilege and work-product objections rather than leaving them to a separate motion. And if the named deposition officer turns out to be unsuitable, the court can order that the deposition proceed before a different officer instead. Together, these options give a court real flexibility to salvage a written deposition that's run into trouble, rather than forcing the parties to start over.