(a) Motion. — On motion of a party, a person from whom discovery is sought, or a person named or depicted in an item sought to be discovered, and for good cause shown, the court may enter any order that justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or more of the following: (1) that the discovery not be had, (2) that the discovery not be had until other designated discovery has been completed, a pretrial conference has taken place, or some other event or proceeding has occurred, (3) that the discovery may be had only on specified terms and conditions, including an allocation of the expenses or a designation of the time or place, (4) that the discovery may be had only by a method of discovery other than that selected by the party seeking discovery, (5) that certain matters not be inquired into or that the scope of the discovery be limited to certain matters, (6) that discovery be conducted with no one present except persons designated by the court, (7) that a deposition, after being sealed, be opened only by order of the court, (8) that a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information not be disclosed or be disclosed only in a designated way, (9) that the parties simultaneously file specified documents or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the court.
Rule 2-403.Protective orders
Circuit Court · Last amended January 1, 2004 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2-403 lets a court shield a party or witness from abusive discovery by barring, delaying, or reshaping it on a showing of good cause.
Full Text of Rule 2-403
(b) Order. — If the motion for a protective order is denied in whole or in part, the court may, on such terms and conditions as are just, order that any party or person provide or permit discovery.
Amendment History
Amended Nov. 12, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004; Oct. 4, 2012, eff. Jan. 1, 2013.
Committee Note & Source
Source. This Rule is derived as follows:
Section (a) is derived from the 1980 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26 (c) and the 1980 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 33
Plain-English Summary
Discovery in Maryland circuit court runs largely on the parties' own initiative, and Rule 2-403 is the safety valve for when that initiative turns into harassment. Anyone facing discovery — a party, a nonparty from whom discovery is sought, or even someone merely named or shown in a document or photo someone wants to discover — can move for a protective order. The standard is good cause: a showing that, without the court's help, the discovery would cause annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense.
If the court agrees, its options range from an outright bar on the discovery to something more surgical: postponing it until other discovery happens first, limiting it to certain topics, requiring a different discovery method, restricting who can be in the room, sealing a deposition until the court says otherwise, protecting trade secrets or confidential business information, or requiring both sides to exchange sensitive material at the same time in sealed envelopes. A judge can mix and match these depending on what the case needs. Losing the motion doesn't mean walking away empty-handed, either — if the court denies protection in whole or in part, it can still set terms and conditions for how the discovery goes forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can ask for a protective order under Rule 2-403?
Any party, any person from whom discovery is sought even if not a party, and any person named or depicted in something someone wants to discover, such as a document or photograph.
What do I have to show to get a protective order?
Good cause: that without court intervention, the discovery would cause annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense to a party or person.
What kinds of relief can a protective order provide?
A wide range. The court can block the discovery entirely, delay it until other events occur, impose specific terms or conditions, require a different discovery method, limit its scope, restrict who can attend, seal a deposition, protect trade secrets or confidential business information, or require simultaneous exchange of sensitive material in sealed envelopes.
What happens if the court denies my motion for a protective order?
You aren't left without options. Rule 2-403(b) lets the court, even after denying the motion in whole or in part, order the discovery to go forward on terms and conditions it decides are just.
Can a protective order seal a deposition?
Yes. One of the listed options lets the court require that a deposition, once sealed, be opened only by further order of the court.
Source & verification. Rule text, Committee Note, Source note, and
amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Maryland Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Maryland. Last verified July 13, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: protective order maryland discoverymotion to quash deposition marylandseal a deposition marylandtrade secret discovery protection marylandgood cause protective order maryland circuit court