The parties may stipulate, or the court on motion may order, that a deposition be taken by telephone or other remote electronic means. The officer before whom the deposition is taken may administer the oath by telephone or other remote electronic means. For the purpose of these rules, a deposition taken by telephone or other remote electronic means is taken at the place where the deponent answers the questions.
Rule 2-418.Deposition — By telephone or other remote electronic means
Circuit Court · Last amended July 1, 2020 · Last verified July 13, 2026
In one sentenceRule 2-418 allows a deposition to be taken remotely, by telephone or other electronic means, when the parties agree or the court orders it.
Full Text of Rule 2-418
Amendment History
Amended Nov. 12, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004; effective July 1, 2020.
Committee Note & Source
Source. This Rule is new and is derived from the 2020 version of Fed. R. Civ. P. 30 (b) (4).
Plain-English Summary
A deposition doesn't have to happen with everyone in the same room. Rule 2-418 lets the parties stipulate, or lets the court order on motion, that a deposition proceed by telephone or other remote electronic means, such as a video conferencing platform. The officer administering the oath can do so remotely too, so nobody needs to be physically present with the deponent for the deposition to be valid.
The rule also settles a question that would otherwise raise venue and logistics headaches: for every purpose under these rules, a remote deposition is treated as having been taken at the place where the deponent answers the questions, not where the attorneys or the officer happen to be sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a deposition be taken over video call instead of in person?
Yes. Rule 2-418 allows a deposition to be taken by telephone or other remote electronic means if the parties agree or the court orders it.
Do all parties have to agree to a remote deposition?
Agreement is one path, but it isn't the only one. A court can also order a remote deposition on motion even without the parties' agreement.
Where is a remote deposition considered to take place?
At the location where the deponent answers the questions, not the location of the attorneys or the officer administering the oath.
Can the oath be given remotely for a telephone deposition?
Yes. The officer before whom the deposition is taken may administer the oath by telephone or other remote electronic means.
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
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