At any time during the taking of the deposition, on formal motion or telephone application to the court of a party or of the deponent and upon a showing that the examination or any part thereof is being conducted or defended in bad faith or in such manner as unreasonably to annoy, embarrass or oppress the deponent or party, or in violation of R. 4:14-3(c) or (f), the court may order the person conducting the examination to cease forthwith from taking the deposition, or may limit the scope and manner of the taking of the deposition as provided in R. 4:10-3. If the order made terminates the examination, it shall be resumed thereafter only upon further order of the court in which the action is pending. Upon demand of the objecting party or deponent, the taking of the deposition shall be suspended for the time necessary to make a motion or telephone application for an order. The provisions of R. 4:23-1(c) shall apply to the award of expenses incurred in making or defending against the motion or telephone application.
Rule 4:14-4.Motion or application to terminate or limit examination or for sanctions
Last amended September 1, 1996 · Current through June 18, 2026 · Last verified July 7, 2026
In one sentenceRule 4:14-4 lets a party or the deponent, on motion or telephone application during a deposition, ask the court to stop or limit an examination being conducted in bad faith or so as to unreasonably annoy, embarrass, or oppress.
Full Text of Rule 4:14-4
Amendment History
New Jersey publishes each rule’s amendment record in a “History” note beneath the rule. It is reproduced verbatim below; the “R.R.” citations refer to the former Revised Rules numbering the current rules replaced.
Source-R.R. 4:20-4. Amended July 14, 1972 to be effective September 5, 1972; amended June 28, 1996 to be effective September 1, 1996.
Plain-English Summary
When a deposition goes off the rails, relief is available on the spot. During the deposition, a party or the deponent may make a formal motion or a telephone application to the court on a showing that the examination is being conducted or defended in bad faith, or so as to unreasonably annoy, embarrass, or oppress, or in violation of the objection and consultation limits of Rule 4:14-3.
The court may order the examination to cease or may limit its scope and manner under the protective-order rule. On demand, the deposition is suspended for the time needed to seek the order, and the expense-award provisions of the discovery-sanctions rule apply to making or defending the application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can you do about an abusive deposition?
During the deposition, a party or the deponent may make a motion or telephone application to the court to terminate or limit an examination conducted in bad faith or so as to unreasonably annoy, embarrass, or oppress. The deposition is suspended while the application is made.
Source & verification. The rule text and amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the
official New Jersey Rules of Court (N.J. Ct. R. 4:14-4). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of New Jersey (N.J. Const. art. VI, § 2, ¶ 3). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 7, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: motion to terminate depositionlimit depositionbad faith depositionsuspend deposition