N.D. R. Civ. P. 45

As amended through March 18, 2024

Rule 45 - Subpoena

(a) In General.

(1) Form and Contents.

(A) Requirements. Every subpoena must:

(i) state the title of the action, the court in which it is pending, and its civil-action number;

(ii) command each person to whom it is directed to do the following at a specified time and place: attend and testify; produce designated documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things in that person's possession, custody or control; or permit the inspection of premises; and

(iii) if the subpoena seeks only pretrial or prehearing production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or the inspection of premises, set out the text of the notice in Rule 45(f).

(B) Command to Attend a Deposition; Notice of the Recording Method. A subpoena commanding attendance at a deposition must state the method for recording the testimony.

(C) Combining or Separating a Command to Produce or Permit Inspection; Specifying the Form for Electronically Stored Information. A command to produce documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or to permit the inspection of premises may be included in a subpoena commanding attendance at a deposition, hearing or trial or may be set out in a separate subpoena. A subpoena may specify the form or forms in which electronically stored information is to be produced. The phrase "electronically stored information" includes reasonably accessible metadata that will enable the party seeking production to have the ability to access such information as the date sent, date received, author, and recipients. The phrase does not include other metadata unless the party seeking production and the subject of the subpoena agree otherwise or the court orders otherwise on motion and a showing of good cause for the production of certain metadata.

(D) Command to Produce; Included Obligations. A command in a subpoena to produce documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things requires the responding party to permit inspection, copying, testing, or sampling of the materials.

(2) Issued by Whom. The clerk must issue a subpoena in the name of the court for the county in which the action is filed, signed but otherwise in blank, to a party who requests it. That party must complete it before service. An attorney authorized to practice in North Dakota also may issue a subpoena, which must be signed by the attorney, include the attorney's office address and identify the party the attorney represents.

(3) Subpoena in Out-of-State Action. N.D.R.Ct. 5.1 defines the procedure for discovery or depositions in an out-of-state action.

(b) Service; Notice.

(1) Service of Subpoena.

(A) A subpoena to a named person must be served under Rule 4(d). A subpoena may be served at any place within the state.

(B) If the subpoena requires the person's attendance, fees for one day's attendance, mileage and travel expense allowed by law must be tendered. If fees, mileage and travel expense are not tendered with the subpoena, the person need not obey the subpoena. Fees, mileage and travel expense need not be tendered if they are to be paid by the state or a political subdivision.

(2) Service of Notices.

(A) Notice of Deposition. If the subpoena commands a person to attend, give testimony and produce documents, electronically stored information or tangible things at a pretrial deposition, then before the subpoena is served, a notice to take a deposition must be served on each party.

(B) Notice of Demand for Production or Inspection. If a deposition notice has not been served, and if the subpoena commands the production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or the inspection of premises before trial, then before it is served, a notice of demand for production or inspection must be served on each party.

(C) Notice Mandatory Before Service of Subpoena. The notice required by Rule 45(b)(2)(A) and (B) must be served on each party under Rule 5(b) before a subpoena for a pretrial deposition, for pretrial production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or for the inspection of premises may be served.

(c) Protecting a Person Subject to a Subpoena.

(1) Avoiding Undue Burden or Expense; Sanctions. A party or attorney responsible for issuing and serving a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to the subpoena. The issuing court must enforce this duty and impose an appropriate sanction, which may include lost earnings and reasonable attorney's fees, on a party or attorney who fails to comply.

(2) Command to Produce Materials or Permit Inspection.

(A) Appearance Not Required. A person commanded to produce documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things, or to permit the inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless also commanded to appear for a deposition, hearing or trial.

(B) Objections. A person commanded to produce documents or tangible things or to permit inspection may serve on the party or attorney designated in the subpoena a written objection to inspecting, copying, testing or sampling any or all of the materials or to inspecting the premises or to producing electronically stored information in the form or forms requested. The objection must be received before the earlier of 24 hours before the time specified for compliance or ten days after the subpoena is served. If an objection is made, the following rules apply:

(i) At any time, on notice to the commanded person, the serving party may move the issuing court for an order compelling production or inspection.

(ii) These acts may be required only as directed in the order, and the order must protect a person who is neither a party nor a party's officer from significant expense resulting from compliance.

(3) Location.

(A) Resident Witness. A subpoena may require a resident of this state to attend a deposition only in the county where the person resides, is employed or transacts business in person, or at a convenient place ordered by the issuing court. A resident may be required to attend a hearing or trial any place within this state.

(B) Nonresident Witness. A subpoena may require a nonresident of this state who is served with a subpoena within this state to attend a deposition ,hearing or trial in any county of this state.

(4) Quashing or Modifying a Subpoena.

(A) When Required. On timely motion, the issuing court must quash or modify a subpoena that:

(i) fails to allow a reasonable time to comply;

(ii) requires attendance beyond the location requirements of Rule 45(c)(3);

(iii) requires disclosure of privileged or other protected matter, if no exception or waiver applies; or

(iv) subjects a person to undue burden.

(B) When Permitted. To protect a person subject to or affected by a subpoena, the issuing court may, on motion, quash or modify the subpoena if it requires:

(i) disclosing a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information; or

(ii) disclosing an unretained expert's opinion or information that does not describe specific occurrences in dispute and results from the expert's study that was not requested by a party.

(C) Specifying Conditions as an Alternative. In the circumstances described in Rule 45(c)(4)(B), the court may, instead of quashing or modifying a subpoena, order appearance or production under specified conditions if the serving party:

(i) shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot otherwise be met without undue hardship; and

(ii) ensures that the subpoenaed person will be reasonably compensated.

(d) Duties in Responding to a Subpoena.

(1) Producing Documents or Electronically Stored Information.

(A) Documents. A person responding to a subpoena to produce documents must produce them as they are kept in the ordinary course of business or must organize and label them to correspond to the categories in the demand.

(B) Form for Producing Electronically Stored Information. If a subpoena does not specify a form for producing electronically stored information, the person responding must produce it in a form or forms in which it is ordinarily maintained or in a reasonably usable form or forms.

(C) Electronically Stored Information Produced in Only One Form. The person responding need not produce the same electronically stored information in more than one form.

(D) Inaccessible Electronically Stored Information. The person responding need not provide discovery of electronically stored information from sources that the person identifies as not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. On motion to compel discovery or to quash, the person from whom discovery is sought must show that the information sought is not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. If that showing is made, the court may nonetheless order discovery from such sources if the requesting party shows good cause, considering the limitations of Rule 26(b)(1)(B). The court may specify conditions for discovery.

(2) Claiming Privilege or Protection.

(A) Information Withheld. A person withholding subpoenaed information under a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation material must:

(i) expressly make the claim; and

(ii) describe the nature of the withheld documents, communications, or tangible things in a manner that, without revealing information itself privileged or protected, will enable the parties to assess the claim.

(B) Information Produced. If information is produced in response to a subpoena that is subject to a claim of privilege or of protection as trial-preparation material, the person making the claim may notify any party that received the information of the claim and the basis for it. After being notified, a receiving party must promptly return, sequester, or destroy the specified information and any copies it has; must not use or disclose the information until the claim is resolved; must take reasonable steps to retrieve the information if the receiving party disclosed it before being notified; and may promptly present the information to the court under seal for a determination of the claim. The person who produced the information must preserve the information until the claim is resolved.

(e) Contempt. The issuing court may hold in contempt a person who, having been served, fails without adequate excuse to obey the subpoena. A nonparty's failure to obey must be excused if the subpoena purports to require the nonparty to attend or produce at a place outside the limits of Rule 45(c)(3).

(f) Notice. All subpoenas commanding only pretrial or prehearing production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or the inspection of premises must contain the following notice:

"You may object to this subpoena by sending or delivering a written objection, stating your valid reason, to [Insert the name and address of the party, or attorney representing the party seeking production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or the inspection of premises]. Any objection must be received within ten days after you receive the subpoena. If the time specified in the subpoena for compliance is less than ten days, any objection must be received at least 24 hours before the time specified for compliance. If you make a timely objection, you do not need to comply with this subpoena unless the court orders otherwise. You will be notified if the party serving the subpoena seeks a court order compelling compliance with this subpoena. You will then have the opportunity to contest enforcement. Failure to obey this subpoena, without making a timely objection, and stating a valid reason, may be contempt of court."

N.D. R. Civ. P. 45

Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of September 24-25, 2016, page 26; January 31-February 1, 2013, pages 24-25; September 27, 2012, pages 8-10; January 26-27, 2012, pages 3-7; September 30, 2011, pages 12-15; April 28-29, 2011, page 25; September 23-24, 2010, pages 32-33; April 24-25, 2008, pages 22- 25; September 28-29, 2006, pages 25-27; April 27-28, 2006, pages 14-15; January 29-30, 1998, page 20; January 25-26, 1996, page 20; January 27-28, 1994, pages 11-16; April 29-30, 1993, pages 4-8, 18-20; January 28-29, 1993, pages 2-7;May 21-22, 1987, page 3; February 19-20, 1987, pages 3-4; October 30-31, 1980, pages 26-29; November 29-30, 1979, page 12; Fed.R.Civ.P. 45. 45.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Rule 45 was amended, effective 7/1/1981;1/1/1988;1/1/1995;3/1/1997;3/1/1999;3/1/2007;3/1/2008;3/1/2009;3/1/2012;3/1/2013;3/1/2014; amended by Order dated December 22, 2016 effective 3/1/2017; amended 5/5/2021.

Rule 45 was revised, effective1/1/1995, in response to the 1991 federal revision. Significant changes to North Dakota's rule include the following: (1) An action must be filed before a subpoena may issue; (2) A subpoena may compel a non-party to produce evidence independent of any deposition; (3) A subpoena may compel the inspection of premises in the possession of a non-party; and (4) Notice must be printed on a subpoena advising of the right to object when pretrial or prehearing production or inspection is commanded. The scope of discovery under Rule 26 is not intended to be altered by the revision.

Rule 45 was amended, effective3/1/2008, in response to the 2006 federal revision. Language was added to the rule to clarify that production of electronically stored materials may be demanded by subpoena and to provide guidance in dealing with requests for electronically stored materials.

Rule 45 was amended, effective3/1/2009, in response to the 2007 amendments to Fed.R.Civ.P. 45. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules.

Subparagraph (a)(1)(A)(iii) was amended, effective3/1/2013, to clarify that the notice required by subdivision (f) must be made part of the subpoena when the subpoena seeks only pretrial or prehearing production of documents, electronically stored information, or tangible things or the inspection of premises.

Subparagraph (a)(1)(C) was amended, effective3/1/2014, to explain that the phrase "electronically stored information" includes reasonably accessible metadata.

Paragraph (a)(2) was amended, effective March 1, 2017, to remove the requirement that a subpoena issued by a clerk have a seal affixed.

Paragraph (a)(3) was amended, effective3/1/2013, to direct persons to N.D.R.Ct. 5.1 for information about how to proceed with discovery in this state in an action pending in an out-of-state court. N.D.R.Ct. 5.1 outlines procedure for interstate depositions and discovery.

Subdivision (b) was amended, effective3/1/2007, to eliminate the requirement for parties to serve a separate notice for production when commanding a person to attend a deposition to give testimony and produce documents or things.

Paragraph (b)(2) was amended, effective3/1/2009, to make it clear that notice must be served on each party in a matter before a subpoena to take testimony or for production is served.

Paragraph (c)(4)(C)was amended May 5, 2021, effective 5/5/2021, to correct a cross-reference.

Subdivision (f) was amended, effective3/1/1999, to allow an objection to a subpoena to be sent via a commercial carrier as an alternative to mail. STATUTES AFFECTED: SUPERSEDED: N.D.C.C. § 31-05-22

N.D.R.Civ.P. 26 (General Provisions Governing Discovery), N.D.R.Civ.P. 30 (Depositions Upon Oral Examination), and N.D.R.Civ.P. 31 (Depositions of Witnesses Upon Written Questions); N.D.R.Crim.P. 17 (Subpoena); N.D.R.Ev. 510 (Waiver of Privilege by Voluntary Disclosure); N.D.R.Ct. 5.1 (Interstate Depositions and Discovery).