(a) A party who desires to take the deposition of any person upon oral examination shall give reasonable notice in writing to every other party to the action. Such notice shall not be filed with the court but shall be served upon each party or each party’s attorney in accordance with Sections 10-12 through 10-17. The notice shall state the time and place for taking the deposition, the name and address of each person to be examined, if known, and, if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to identify such person or the particular class or group to which he or she belongs and the manner of recording. If a subpoena duces tecum is to be served on the person to be examined, the designation of the materials to be produced as set forth in the subpoena shall be attached to or included in the notice.
Section 13-27.—Notice of Deposition; General Requirements; Special Notice; Nonstenographic Recording; Production of Documents and Things; Deposition of Organization
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSection 13-27 sets the notice requirements for taking an oral deposition in Connecticut, covering timing, contents, leave-of-court exceptions, nonstenographic and remote recording, document production, and how to depose an organization.
Full Text of Section 13-27
(b) Leave of a judicial authority, granted with or without notice, must be obtained only if the party seeks to take a deposition prior to the expiration of twenty days after the return day, except that leave is not required (1) if the adverse party has served a notice of the taking of a deposition or has otherwise sought discovery, or (2) if special notice is given as provided herein.
(c) Leave of a judicial authority is not required for the taking of a deposition by a party if the notice (1) states that the person to be examined is about to go out of this state, or is bound on a voyage to sea, and will be unavailable for examination unless such person’s deposition is taken before the expiration of twenty days after the return day, and (2) sets forth facts to support the statement. The party’s attorney shall sign the notice, and this signature constitutes a certification by such attorney that to the best of his or her knowledge, information and belief the statement and supporting facts are true.
(d) Whenever the whereabouts of any adverse party is unknown, a deposition may be taken pursuant to Section 13-26 after such notice as the court, in which such deposition is to be used, or, when such court is not in session, any judge thereof, may direct.
(e) The judicial authority may for good cause shown increase or decrease the time for taking the deposition.
(f) (1) The judicial authority may upon motion order that the testimony at a deposition be recorded by other than stenographic means such as by video recording, in which event the order shall designate the manner of recording, preserving, and filing the deposition, and may include other provisions to assure that the recorded testimony will be accurate and trustworthy. If the order is made, a party may nevertheless arrange to have a stenographic transcription made at the party’s own expense. (2) Notwithstanding this section, a deposition may be recorded by video recording without prior court approval if (A) any party desiring to video record the deposition provides written notice of the video recording to all parties in either the notice of deposition or other notice served in the same manner as a notice of deposition and (B) the deposition is also recorded stenographically.
(g) The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request made in compliance with Sections 13-9 through 13-11 for the production of documents and tangible things at the taking of the deposition. The procedure of Sections 13-9 through 13-11 shall apply to the request.
(h) A party may in the notice and in the subpoena name as the deponent a public or private corporation or a partnership or an association or a governmental agency or a state officer in an action arising out of the officer’s performance of employment and designate with reasonable particularity the matters on which examination is requested. The organization or state officer so named shall designate one or more officers, directors, or managing agents, or other persons who consent to testify on its behalf, and may set forth, for each person designated, the matters on which the person will testify. The persons so designated shall testify as to matters known or reasonably available to the organization. This subsection does not preclude the taking of a deposition by any other procedure authorized by the rules of practice.
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 244.) (Amended June 26, 2000, to take effect Jan. 1, 2001; amended June 22, 2009, to take effect Jan. 1, 2010.)
Rules Committee Commentary
Plain-English Summary
Section 13-27 spells out how a party notices a deposition. The party must give reasonable written notice to every other party, served (not filed) on each party or their attorney under Sections 10-12 through 10-17. The notice must state the time and place, the name and address of each person to be examined (or a description sufficient to identify the person or group if the name is unknown), and the manner of recording; if a subpoena duces tecum will be served on the deponent, the list of materials to be produced must be attached to or included in the notice. Leave of the judicial authority is required only if the party seeks to depose someone before twenty days after the return day have passed — unless the adverse party has already noticed a deposition or sought other discovery, or unless special notice is given because the deponent is about to leave the state or go to sea and would otherwise be unavailable, in which case the attorney’s signature certifies the supporting facts are true. If a party’s whereabouts are unknown, a deposition may proceed after whatever notice the court directs. The judicial authority may lengthen or shorten the notice period for good cause.
The testimony may be recorded by means other than stenography, such as video, if the judicial authority orders it or if the party wanting video recording gives written notice to all parties and the deposition is also recorded stenographically. A notice to a party deponent may include a request to produce documents and tangible things at the deposition, following the procedures of Sections 13-9 through 13-11. Finally, a party may name an organization — a corporation, partnership, association, governmental agency, or a state officer sued over official conduct — as the deponent and describe with reasonable particularity the topics for examination; the organization then designates the officers, directors, managing agents, or other consenting persons to testify on its behalf about matters known or reasonably available to it, without precluding depositions taken by any other authorized procedure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What must a deposition notice include in Connecticut?
The time and place of the deposition, the name and address of each person to be examined (or a description sufficient to identify them), and the manner of recording; if a subpoena duces tecum will be served, the list of materials to produce must be attached or included.
Do I need the court's permission to notice a deposition?
Only if you want to take it before twenty days after the return day have passed, unless the adverse party has already noticed a deposition or sought discovery, or special notice applies because the deponent is about to leave the state or go to sea.
Can a deposition be video recorded instead of taken down stenographically in Connecticut?
Yes, if the judicial authority orders it, or if a party gives written notice of the video recording to all parties and the deposition is also recorded stenographically.
How do you depose a corporation or organization in Connecticut?
The notice or subpoena names the organization and describes the examination topics with reasonable particularity, and the organization then designates the officers, directors, managing agents, or other consenting persons who will testify on its behalf.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 13-27). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: notice of deposition Connecticutdeposing a corporation or organization CThow to notice a deposition CTvideo recorded deposition Connecticutsubpoena duces tecum deposition notice
TECHNICAL CHANGE: Technical changes were made in subsection (f) to update the terminology to align with current technology and practice.