A master may be appointed to preside over the taking of a deposition pursuant to Rule 68.01(h).
Rule 57.06.Presiding Officer for Deposition.
Part I · Rule 57: Interrogatories and Depositions · Last amended July 1, 2008 · Last verified July 22, 2026
In one sentenceRule 57.06 confirms that a master appointed under Rule 68.01(h) may preside over the taking of a deposition, functioning as a one-sentence pointer instead of a freestanding procedure.
Full Text of Rule 57.06
Amendment History
Repealed June 26, 2007, eff. January 1, 2008; Amended Dec. 18, 2007, eff. July 1, 2008.
Plain-English Summary
Rule 57.06 is the shortest rule in this group: it says only that a master may be appointed to preside over the taking of a deposition under Rule 68.01(h). Its history shows the rule was repealed in 2007 and then restored the following year in this pared-down, cross-referencing form. As written today, Rule 57.06 does not itself supply the standard for when a master may be appointed or what powers a master has once appointed — that authority and its limits live in Rule 68.01(h), which this rule points to instead of restating.
What Rule 57.06 does confirm is that the master mechanism reaches deposition proceedings specifically, so a party researching who may preside over a deposition should read this rule alongside Rule 57.05, which addresses the more common situation of an officer authorized to administer oaths, and Rule 68.01, which governs when and how a court appoints a master in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rule 57.06 say?
Only that a master may be appointed to preside over the taking of a deposition under Rule 68.01(h). It is a one-sentence rule that points to another rule instead of laying out its own procedure.
Does Rule 57.06 itself authorize appointing a master?
No. The authority to appoint a master, and the standard for doing so, comes from Rule 68.01(h). Rule 57.06 confirms that authority extends to presiding over depositions.
Why is this rule so short?
Its history shows it was repealed in 2007 and then amended back in 2008 in this reduced, cross-referencing form, instead of being restored to a longer freestanding procedure.
Does this rule replace the officer described in Rule 57.05?
No, Rule 57.06 does not say that. It addresses the separate situation of a master appointed under Rule 68.01(h), while Rule 57.05 addresses who ordinarily administers the oath and presides at a deposition.
Where do I find the standard for appointing a master?
In Rule 68.01(h), since Rule 57.06 does not set out that standard on its own.
Source & verification. Rule text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Missouri State & Federal Court Rules, adopted by the
Supreme Court of Missouri. Last verified July 22, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: master presiding over deposition missourispecial master deposition missourirule 57.06 missouriappointing a master for discovery missouri