Unless the court orders otherwise, the parties may by written stipulation (i) provide that depositions may be taken before any person, at any time or place, upon any notice, and in any manner and when so taken may be used like other depositions, and (ii) modify the procedures provided by these rules for other methods of discovery.
Rule 29.Stipulations regarding discovery procedure.
Last amended 1975 · Last verified July 3, 2026
In one sentenceRule 29 lets the parties agree in writing, without asking the court, to take depositions before any person, at any time or place, and in any manner, and to modify most other discovery procedures and deadlines by stipulation.
Full Text of Rule 29
Amendment History
(1967, c. 954, s. 1; 1975, c. 762, s. 1.)
Plain-English Summary
Rule 29 lets the parties, unless the court orders otherwise, agree by written stipulation that depositions may be taken before any person, at any time or place, on any notice, and in any manner — and once taken that way, the deposition may still be used like any other. The same stipulation may modify almost any other discovery procedure or limitation. The one carve-out: a stipulation extending the time to respond to interrogatories, document requests, or requests for admission under Rules 33, 34, or 36 needs the court’s approval if it would interfere with the discovery deadline, a motion hearing, or the trial date.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the parties need the court’s permission to agree on discovery arrangements?
Generally no — Rule 29 lets them modify most discovery procedures by written stipulation without court approval, unless the court has ordered otherwise.
Can parties agree to extend a deadline to respond to interrogatories or document requests?
Yes, but if the extension would interfere with the discovery cutoff, a scheduled motion hearing, or the trial date, the stipulation needs the court’s approval.
Must a discovery stipulation be in writing?
Yes — Rule 29 requires the agreement to be in writing to be effective.
Source & verification. The rule text and history citation are reproduced verbatim from the
official North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 1A (N.C. R. Civ. P. 29). Enacted by the North Carolina General Assembly (S.L. 1967, c. 954, codified at N.C.G.S. § 1A-1). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 3, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: discovery stipulationsstipulated deposition procedureextending discovery deadlines by agreementagreement on discovery procedurewritten stipulation on discoverymodifying discovery procedure by consentdeposition by agreement of the partiesstipulated extension of interrogatory response time