Rule 1.707.Notice for oral deposition

Division VII: Depositions and Perpetuating Testimony · Last amended May 1, 2008 · Last verified July 15, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1.707 requires reasonable written notice to every other party before taking an oral deposition, spelling out the time, place, and identity of the deponent, and lets the notice double as a document request or name an organization that must designate a knowledgeable witness to testify on its behalf.

Full Text of Rule 1.707

Text sizeJump to: (17071) (2) (3) (4) (5)

1.707(1) A party desiring to take the deposition of any person upon oral examination shall give reasonable notice in writing to every other party to the action. The notice shall state the time and place for taking the deposition and 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 the person or the particular class or group to which the person belongs.

(2) 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.

(3) The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request made in compliance with rule 1.512 for the production of documents and tangible things at the taking of the deposition. The procedure of rule 1.512 (2) shall apply to the request.

(4) No subpoena is necessary to require the appearance of a party for a deposition. Service on the party or the party's attorney of record of notice of the taking of the deposition of the party or of an officer, partner or managing agent of any party who is not a natural person, as provided in rule 1.707 (1), is sufficient to require the appearance of a deponent for the deposition.

(5) A notice or subpoena may name as the deponent a public or private corporation or a partnership or association or governmental agency and describe with reasonable particularity the matters on which examination is requested. In that event, the organization 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 witness will testify. A subpoena shall advise a nonparty organization of its duty to make such a designation. The persons so designated shall testify as to matters known or reasonably available to the organization. This rule does not preclude taking a deposition by any other procedure authorized in the rules in this chapter.

End

Amendment History

[Report October 31, 1997, effective January 24, 1998; November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002; February 14, 2008, effective May 1, 2008]

Plain-English Summary

Rule 1.707(1) sets the baseline notice requirement for an oral deposition: reasonable written notice to every other party, stating the time and place and naming each person to be examined, or, if the name is not known, a description sufficient to identify the person or the class or group to which the person belongs. If a subpoena duces tecum will be served on the deponent, the notice must attach or include the materials designated in that subpoena.

Rule 1.707(3) lets the notice do double duty when the deponent is a party: it may be accompanied by a Rule 1.512 request for production of documents and tangible things at the deposition itself, following that rule's own procedure. And Rule 1.707(4) confirms that no separate subpoena is needed to require a party's own appearance — serving the notice on the party or the party's attorney of record is enough to compel a party deponent, or an officer, partner, or managing agent of a party that is not a natural person, to appear.

Rule 1.707(5) addresses depositions of organizations: a notice or subpoena can name a corporation, partnership, association, or governmental agency and describe the matters for examination with reasonable particularity, and the organization must then designate one or more people who consent to testify on its behalf about matters known or reasonably available to it. A subpoena served on a nonparty organization must advise it of this designation duty.

Frequently Asked Questions

What must a deposition notice include?

Reasonable written notice to every other party, stating the time and place for the deposition and the name and address of each person to be examined, or, if not known, a description sufficient to identify the person or the group to which the person belongs.

Can I combine a document request with my deposition notice?

Yes, for a party deponent. Rule 1.707(3) lets the notice be accompanied by a Rule 1.512 request for documents and tangible things, following that rule's procedure.

Do I need a subpoena to depose the opposing party?

No. Rule 1.707(4) makes clear that serving the notice on the party or the party's attorney of record is enough to require a party deponent's appearance.

Can I depose “a corporation” without naming a specific individual?

Yes. Rule 1.707(5) lets a notice or subpoena name the organization and describe the topics with reasonable particularity, and the organization must designate someone to testify on its behalf about matters it knows or can reasonably learn.

What if I want documents brought to the deposition?

Attach or include the subpoena duces tecum's document designation directly in the notice, as Rule 1.707(2) requires.

Source & verification. Rule text and the Comment are reproduced verbatim from the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court. Last verified July 15, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: iowa deposition notice requirementsiowa 30(b)(6) equivalentiowa corporate representative deposition rulesubpoena duces tecum deposition iowarule 1.707 iowa civil procedure