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<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">In a RCW Title 11 case,
may a party, without first obtaining court approval, subpoena a
nonparty to produce "documents and things"? For example, in a
probate or guardianship case </font><font face="Times New Roman,
Times, serif"><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif">(not one
filed under RCW 11.96A.100).<br>
<br>
</font>Since 2006, RCW 11.96A.115 has forbidden "discovery" in
Title 11 cases unless (1) "discovery" is permitted by court order
or (2) the case was filed under RCW 11.96A.100.<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.96A.115">http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=11.96A.115</a><br>
<br>
Part 5 of the Superior Court Civil Rules is titled "Depositions
and Discovery (Rules 26 - 37)", so "discovery" might mean only
activities described in CR 26 - 37. But CR 26(a) describes the
methods of obtaining "discovery" as including "production of
documents or things". On the other hand, CR 34(c) states that CR
34 (document production, etc., by parties) "does not preclude ...
a subpoena issued pursuant to CR 45 against a person not a party
for production of documents and things ...."<br>
<br>
CR 45 allows an attorney of record of a party to issue a subpoena
commanding any person (e.g., a nonparty) to produce documents and
tangible things. Does that constitute "discovery" that is limited
by RCW 11.96A.115? In other words, in a probate or guardianship
case, must an attorney first obtain court permission before
serving on a nonparty (e.g., a bank or care provider) a subpoena
for records or things?<br>
<br>
Doug Schafer, in Tacoma. <br>
<br>
<br>
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