Gerson R. Sabio Velasquez, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Roberto Andres Sabio Ruiz v. Seabulk Tankers, Inc., et al.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida denied Seabulk Tankers, Inc.’s motion for a protective order seeking to preclude inquiry into seven topics designated for a Rule 30(b)(6) corporate representative deposition. The court held that the topics could produce relevant information concerning the decedent’s fitness for employment, the defendant’s discovery responses, and its contentions regarding the decedent’s medical conditions, while preserving objections to individual questions for the deposition.

Holdings

1. The motion for a protective order was denied because inquiry into each of the seven topics could produce information relevant to the lawsuit.
2. Seabulk could preserve objections to individual questions during the deposition; the possibility that some questions might be objectionable did not justify precluding the topics in advance.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Seabulk established good cause for a protective order precluding inquiry into seven identified Rule 30(b)(6) deposition topics.
2. Whether the Court should prohibit or limit the disputed deposition topics before the deposition occurs.

Disposition

other