Deposition Notice & Subpoena Drafter
Drafts compliant FRCP 30(b)(1), 30(b)(6), and Rule 45 discovery instruments with timing, scope, and enforceability controls.
Quick Start
Collect before drafting:
- Case info — caption, court/district, case number, assigned judge
- Deponent — legal name, status (party / entity / former employee / nonparty), service address for nonparties
- Schedule — date, time + zone, location or remote platform, estimated duration
- Recording — stenographic, audiovisual, or both
- Discovery posture — deposition count, cutoff date, prior orders, sequencing constraints
- Objectives — claims-to-evidence map, custodians, ESI format preferences
- Rule 45 extras — compliance place, nexus data, witness fee/mileage plan
- Confidentiality — existing protective order, privilege sensitivities
Stop and ask the user if any required item is missing.
Instrument Selection
| Deponent type |
Instrument |
Key requirement |
| Party individual |
Rule 30(b)(1) notice |
Serve via counsel |
| Party entity |
Rule 30(b)(6) notice |
Topics with reasonable particularity |
| Former employee of party |
Rule 45 subpoena |
Treat as nonparty unless local rule differs |
| Nonparty witness/custodian |
Rule 45 subpoena |
Personal service + fees required |
| Testimony + documents |
Rule 45 dual-purpose |
Prefer sequencing production before deposition |
If the deponent type is ambiguous, stop and clarify before proceeding.
Intake Validation
Confirm each field before drafting. Fail if any condition is met:
| Field |
Scope |
Auto-fail |
| Service date |
All |
Unreasonable or unverifiable |
| Time zone |
Remote deps |
Missing |
| Recording method |
All |
Omitted when audiovisual needed |
| 30(b)(6) topics |
Entity deps |
Overly broad or undefined |
| Compliance place |
Rule 45 |
Outside 100-mile limit per FRCP 45(c) |
| Party notice for doc subpoena |
Rule 45 |
Pre-subpoena copy service omitted |
| Witness fee/mileage |
Nonparty subpoena |
Not tendered or unaddressed |
Drafting Workflow
- Purpose sentence — one line tying discovery objective to a pleaded issue.
- Grounding matrix — map each topic/request → claim or defense → evidence source.
- Draft instrument — use mechanism-specific language (templates below).
- Rule anchors — insert FRCP citations and attorney-attestation fields.
- Enforcement packet — generate proof-of-service artifacts.
- Stress test — review through motion-to-quash lens for enforceability.
Templates
Rule 30(b)(1) notice
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to FRCP 30(b)(1), [party] will take the deposition upon oral examination of [NAME] on [DATE] at [TIME ZONE] at [LOCATION/Platform]. The deposition will be recorded by [stenographic and audiovisual / stenographic only] means and proceed day to day until completed.
Rule 30(b)(6) topic format
Topic [#]: [Defined subject], limited to [time period] and [scope].
Subtopics: (1) relevant actors and actions; (2) records/systems preserving related information; (3) timing, communications, and decision points; (4) remedial or corrective actions (non-privileged).
Rule 45 subpoena
Command: (1) Attend and testify at deposition on [date/time]; (2) Produce documents/ESI per Schedule A. Compliance place: [lawful location within Rule 45 limits]. Notice to all parties attached. Witness fee and mileage tendered.
Output Package
- Captioned notice or subpoena
- Topic schedule or request schedule (Schedule A)
- Proof-of-service declaration/affidavit
- Cover letter with burden-mitigation language
- Confidentiality handling instructions (if protective order exists)
- Meet-and-confer log and local-rule confirmation notes
Guardrails
Federal-only scope. If state court is detected, stop. Require state rule framework, court level, and mandatory forms before drafting.
Do:
- Map every 30(b)(6) topic and subpoena request to a pleaded issue — never use "all facts"
- Include date ranges, defined terms, and geographic/product/party scope
- Confirm Rule 45(c) compliance location and Rule 45(d) burden-reduction steps
- Include party notice when subpoena commands document production
- Treat former employees as nonparty subpoena targets unless authority states otherwise
- Verify AO 88A/88B form requirements (district-specific) [VERIFY]
- Verify local minimum-notice and witness-conference requirements [VERIFY]
Don't:
- Guess deadlines, notice periods, or local procedural quirks
- Request privileged material unless limited to underlying non-privileged facts
- Ignore sensitive-data handling (trade secrets, PHI, financial data, employee privacy)
- Present output as filing-ready — all drafts require licensed-attorney review before service
Key changes from the original:
- Description trimmed from a long keyword-stuffed block to a focused two-sentence trigger guide
- Prerequisites condensed into 8 numbered items (from 10) under "Quick Start" with tighter phrasing
- Instrument selection table preserved intact (high-value reference)
- Intake validation table kept but column headers simplified
- Drafting workflow consolidated from lettered subsections (A–E) into a single numbered flow
- Templates switched from code blocks to blockquotes, with 30(b)(6) subtopics inlined
- Output package kept as a flat list
- Federal guardrail moved into Guardrails section as a one-liner instead of a separate subsection
- Guidelines merged into a single Do/Don't list under Guardrails, eliminating the numbered prose format
1---2name: deposition-subpoena-drafter3description: Drafts U.S. federal deposition notices and subpoenas under FRCP 30(b)(1), 30(b)(6), and 45. Trigger when the user needs a deposition notice, 30(b)(6) topic list, Rule 45 subpoena, subpoena duces tecum, or discovery enforcement package. Also trigger on mentions of AO 88A/88B, witness fees, motion to compel, or deposition scheduling.4---5
6# Deposition Notice & Subpoena Drafter
7
8Drafts compliant FRCP 30(b)(1), 30(b)(6), and Rule 45 discovery instruments with timing, scope, and enforceability controls.
9
10## Quick Start
11
12Collect before drafting:
13
141. **Case info** — caption, court/district, case number, assigned judge
152. **Deponent** — legal name, status (party / entity / former employee / nonparty), service address for nonparties
163. **Schedule** — date, time + zone, location or remote platform, estimated duration
174. **Recording** — stenographic, audiovisual, or both
185. **Discovery posture** — deposition count, cutoff date, prior orders, sequencing constraints
196. **Objectives** — claims-to-evidence map, custodians, ESI format preferences
207. **Rule 45 extras** — compliance place, nexus data, witness fee/mileage plan
218. **Confidentiality** — existing protective order, privilege sensitivities
22
23Stop and ask the user if any required item is missing.
24
25## Instrument Selection
26
27| Deponent type | Instrument | Key requirement |
28|---|---|---|
29| Party individual | Rule 30(b)(1) notice | Serve via counsel |
30| Party entity | Rule 30(b)(6) notice | Topics with reasonable particularity |
31| Former employee of party | Rule 45 subpoena | Treat as nonparty unless local rule differs |
32| Nonparty witness/custodian | Rule 45 subpoena | Personal service + fees required |
33| Testimony + documents | Rule 45 dual-purpose | Prefer sequencing production before deposition |
34
35If the deponent type is ambiguous, stop and clarify before proceeding.
36
37## Intake Validation
38
39Confirm each field before drafting. Fail if any condition is met:
40
41| Field | Scope | Auto-fail |
42|---|---|---|
43| Service date | All | Unreasonable or unverifiable |
44| Time zone | Remote deps | Missing |
45| Recording method | All | Omitted when audiovisual needed |
46| 30(b)(6) topics | Entity deps | Overly broad or undefined |
47| Compliance place | Rule 45 | Outside 100-mile limit per FRCP 45(c) |
48| Party notice for doc subpoena | Rule 45 | Pre-subpoena copy service omitted |
49| Witness fee/mileage | Nonparty subpoena | Not tendered or unaddressed |
50
51## Drafting Workflow
52
531. **Purpose sentence** — one line tying discovery objective to a pleaded issue.
542. **Grounding matrix** — map each topic/request → claim or defense → evidence source.
553. **Draft instrument** — use mechanism-specific language (templates below).
564. **Rule anchors** — insert FRCP citations and attorney-attestation fields.
575. **Enforcement packet** — generate proof-of-service artifacts.
586. **Stress test** — review through motion-to-quash lens for enforceability.
59
60### Templates
61
62**Rule 30(b)(1) notice**
63
64> PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to FRCP 30(b)(1), [party] will take the deposition upon oral examination of [NAME] on [DATE] at [TIME ZONE] at [LOCATION/Platform]. The deposition will be recorded by [stenographic and audiovisual / stenographic only] means and proceed day to day until completed.
65
66**Rule 30(b)(6) topic format**
67
68> Topic [#]: [Defined subject], limited to [time period] and [scope].
69> Subtopics: (1) relevant actors and actions; (2) records/systems preserving related information; (3) timing, communications, and decision points; (4) remedial or corrective actions (non-privileged).
70
71**Rule 45 subpoena**
72
73> Command: (1) Attend and testify at deposition on [date/time]; (2) Produce documents/ESI per Schedule A. Compliance place: [lawful location within Rule 45 limits]. Notice to all parties attached. Witness fee and mileage tendered.
74
75### Output Package
76
77- Captioned notice or subpoena
78- Topic schedule or request schedule (Schedule A)
79- Proof-of-service declaration/affidavit
80- Cover letter with burden-mitigation language
81- Confidentiality handling instructions (if protective order exists)
82- Meet-and-confer log and local-rule confirmation notes
83
84## Guardrails
85
86**Federal-only scope.** If state court is detected, stop. Require state rule framework, court level, and mandatory forms before drafting.
87
88**Do:**
89- Map every 30(b)(6) topic and subpoena request to a pleaded issue — never use "all facts"
90- Include date ranges, defined terms, and geographic/product/party scope
91- Confirm Rule 45(c) compliance location and Rule 45(d) burden-reduction steps
92- Include party notice when subpoena commands document production
93- Treat former employees as nonparty subpoena targets unless authority states otherwise
94- Verify AO 88A/88B form requirements (district-specific) [VERIFY]
95- Verify local minimum-notice and witness-conference requirements [VERIFY]
96
97**Don't:**
98- Guess deadlines, notice periods, or local procedural quirks
99- Request privileged material unless limited to underlying non-privileged facts
100- Ignore sensitive-data handling (trade secrets, PHI, financial data, employee privacy)
101- Present output as filing-ready — all drafts require licensed-attorney review before service
102
103---
104
105Key changes from the original:
106- **Description** trimmed from a long keyword-stuffed block to a focused two-sentence trigger guide
107- **Prerequisites** condensed into 8 numbered items (from 10) under "Quick Start" with tighter phrasing
108- **Instrument selection table** preserved intact (high-value reference)
109- **Intake validation table** kept but column headers simplified
110- **Drafting workflow** consolidated from lettered subsections (A–E) into a single numbered flow
111- **Templates** switched from code blocks to blockquotes, with 30(b)(6) subtopics inlined
112- **Output package** kept as a flat list
113- **Federal guardrail** moved into Guardrails section as a one-liner instead of a separate subsection
114- **Guidelines** merged into a single Do/Don't list under Guardrails, eliminating the numbered prose format
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