(a) Generally. — A party desiring to take a deposition shall serve a notice of deposition upon oral examination at least ten days before the date of the deposition or a notice of deposition upon written questions in accordance with Rule 2-417. The notice shall state the time and place for taking the deposition and the name and address of the person to be examined or, 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. If a subpoena is to be served on the person to be examined, it shall be served at least ten days before the date of the deposition.
Rule 2-412.Deposition — Notice
Circuit Court · Last amended May 11, 2022 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2-412 sets what a deposition notice must say, how much advance notice to give, and how to depose an organization by naming a topic instead of a person.
Full Text of Rule 2-412
(b) Audio and audio-video recording. — If the deposition is to be recorded by electronic audio or audio- video means, the notice shall specify the method of recording. If a deposition is to be recorded by electronic audio-video means for use at trial pursuant to Rule 2-419 (a) (4), the notice shall so specify.
(c) Documents or other tangible things. — The notice to a party deponent may contain or be accompanied by a request for the production of documents or other tangible things at the taking of the deposition, in which case the provisions of Rule 2-422 shall apply to the request. A non-party deponent may be required to produce documents or other tangible things at the taking of the deposition by a subpoena. If a subpoena requiring the production of documents or other tangible things at the taking of the deposition is to be served on a party or nonparty deponent, the designation of the materials to be produced as set forth in the subpoena shall be attached to or included in the notice and the subpoena shall be served at least 30 days before the date of the deposition.
(d) Designation of person to testify on behalf of an organization. — A party may in a notice and subpoena 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. The organization so named shall designate one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other persons who will testify on its behalf regarding the matters described and may set forth the matters on which each person designated 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.
(e) Objection to form. — Any objection to the form of the notice for taking a deposition is waived unless promptly served in writing.
Amendment History
Amended Mar. 22, 1991, effective July 1, 1991; Nov. 12, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004; December 7, 2015, effective January 1, 2016; effective May 11, 2022.
Committee Note & Source
Source. This Rule is derived as follows:
Section (a) is derived from former Rule 405 a 1 and a 2 (a) and the 1980 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 30 (b) (1).
Section (b) is derived from Rule 410 c.
Section (c) is derived from the 1980 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 30 (b) (5).
Section (d) is derived from the 1980 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 30 (b) (6) and former Rule 405 a 2 (b).
Section (e) is derived from former Rule 412 a.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 2-412 sets the mechanics for giving notice of a deposition. For an oral deposition, notice has to go out at least ten days before the deposition and has to state the time and place and identify the person to be examined — by name and address if known, or by a description precise enough to identify the person or the group they belong to if not. If the deposition will be recorded by audio or audio-video means rather than, or along with, a court reporter's transcript, the notice has to say so, and it has to flag specifically an audio-video recording meant for use at trial. Objecting to a defective notice has a short fuse: the objection is waived unless served promptly in writing.
Section (d) covers depositions of organizations — corporations, partnerships, associations, or government agencies — which don't show up in person the way an individual does. The noticing party names the organization as the deponent and describes the topics for examination with reasonable particularity; the organization then designates one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other people to testify on its behalf about those topics, and can assign different designees to different topics. A subpoena to a nonparty organization has to spell out this duty to designate someone. Whoever the organization sends has to testify about what the organization knows or can reasonably find out, not just their own personal knowledge. A notice can also double as, or come with, a document request to a party deponent, and a subpoena can compel a nonparty deponent to bring documents — but a document subpoena needs at least 30 days' notice rather than ten.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much advance notice do I have to give before an oral deposition?
At least ten days before the date of the deposition. If a subpoena is being served on the deponent, it also has to go out at least ten days ahead.
What has to be in a deposition notice?
The time and place for the deposition and the name and address of the person to be examined. If you don't know the person's name, a description precise enough to identify the person or the group they fall into is enough. If the deposition will be recorded by audio or audio-video means, the notice has to specify that.
How do I depose a corporation or government agency instead of a specific individual?
Rule 2-412(d) lets you name the organization itself as the deponent in the notice and subpoena and describe the topics for examination with reasonable particularity. The organization then designates one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other people to testify on its behalf about those topics — Maryland's version of what federal practitioners call a 30(b)(6) deposition. The designees have to testify about what the organization knows or can reasonably find out, not just their personal knowledge.
Can I make the other side bring documents to their deposition?
Yes. A notice to a party deponent can include or come with a request for documents under Rule 2-422. For a nonparty deponent, you need a subpoena, and the list of documents has to be attached to or included in the notice, with the subpoena served at least 30 days before the deposition instead of the usual ten.
How do I object to a defective deposition notice?
Promptly, and in writing. Rule 2-412(e) waives any objection to the form of the notice unless it's served that way.
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: deposition notice requirements maryland30(b)(6) equivalent marylandcorporate designee deposition marylandorganization deposition maryland rule 2-412objection to deposition notice marylandsubpoena for documents at deposition maryland