Wash. R. Ct. Lim. Juri. CRLJ 45

As amended throough October 10, 2024

Rule CRLJ 45 - Subpoena

(a)Form; Issuance.

(1) Every subpoena shall:

(A) state the name of the court from which it is issued;

(B) state the title of the action, the name of the court in which it is pending, and its case number;

(C) command each person to whom it is directed to appear and give testimony or to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, documents or tangible things in the possession, custody or control of that person, or to permit inspection of premises, at a time and place therein specified; and

(D) set forth the text of subsections (c) and (d) of this rule.

(2) A subpoena to appear at a deposition shall state the method for recording the testimony.

(3) A command to a person to produce evidence or to permit inspection may be joined with a command to appear at trial or hearing or at deposition, or may be issued separately. A party may be compelled to produce evidence at a deposition or permit inspection only in accordance with rule 26.

(4) A subpoena may be issued by the court in which the action is pending in the name of the State of Washington or by the clerk in response to a praecipe. An attorney of record of a party or other person authorized by statute may issue and sign a subpoena, subject to RCW 5.56.010.

(b)Service.

(1) A subpoena may be served by any suitable person over 18 years of age by giving the person named therein a copy thereof, or by leaving a copy at such person's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion then residing therein. When service is made by any person other than an officer authorized to serve process, proof of service shall be made by affidavit.

(2) A subpoena commanding production of documents and things, or inspection of premises, without a command to appear for deposition, hearing or trial, shall be served on each party in the manner prescribed by rule 5(b). Such service shall be made no fewer than five days prior to service of the subpoena on the person named therein, unless the parties otherwise agree or the court otherwise orders for good cause shown. A motion for such an order may be made ex parte.

(c)Protection of Persons Subject to Subpoenas.

(1) A party or an attorney responsible for the issuance and service of a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that subpoena. The court shall enforce this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate sanction, which may include, but is not limited to, lost earnings and a reasonable attorney's fee.

(2)

(A) A person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, papers, documents or tangible things, or inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless commanded to appear for deposition, hearing or trial.

(B) Subject to subsection (d)(2) of this rule, a person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying may, within 14 days after service of the subpoena or before the time specified for compliance if such time is less than 14 days after service, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials or of the premises. If objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials or inspect the premises except pursuant to an order of the court by which the subpoena was issued. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the person commanded to produce and all other parties, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded.

(3)

(A) On timely motion, the court by which a subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it:

(i) fails to allow reasonable time for compliance;

(ii) fails to comply with RCW 5.56.010 or subsection (e)(2) of this rule;

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

(iv) subjects a person to undue burden, provided that the court may condition denial of the motion upon a requirement that the subpoenaing party advance the reasonable cost of producing the books, papers, documents, or tangible things.

(B) If a subpoena

(i) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information, or

(ii) requires disclosure of an unretained expert's opinion or information not describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert's study made not at the request of any party, the court may, to protect a person subject to or affected by the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party in whose behalf the subpoena is issued shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be otherwise met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon specified conditions.

(d)Duties in Responding to Subpoena.

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

(2)

(A) When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be made expressly and shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced that is sufficient to enable the demanding party to contest the claim.

(B) If information produced in response to a subpoena 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 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 party disclosed it before being notified; and may promptly present the information in camera to the court for a determination of the claim. The person responding to the subpoena must preserve the information until the claim is resolved.

(e)Subpoena for Taking Deposition, Producing Documents, or Permitting Inspection.

(1)Witness Fees and Mileage. [Reserved. See RCW 2.40.020.]

(2)Place of Examination. A resident of the state may be required to appear for examination, produce documents, or permit inspection only in the county where the person resides or is employed or transacts business in person, or at such other convenient place as is fixed by an order of the court. A nonresident of the state may be required to appear for examination, produce documents, or permit inspection only in the county where the person is served with a subpoena, or within 40 miles from the place of service, or at such other convenient place as is fixed by an order of the court.

(3)Foreign Proceedings for Local Actions. When the place of examination, production, or inspection is in another state, territory, or country, the party desiring to take the deposition, obtain production, or conduct inspection may secure the issuance of a subpoena or equivalent process in accordance with the laws of such state, territory, or country.

(4)Local Depositions for Foreign Actions. When any officer or person is authorized to take depositions in this state by the law of another state, territory, or country, with or without a commission, a subpoena to require appearance before such officer or person may be issued by any court of this state for attendance at any place within its jurisdiction.

(f)Subpoena For Hearing or Trial.

(1)When Witnesses Must Appear-Fees and Allowances. [Reserved. See RCW 5.56.010.]

(2)When Excused. A witness subpoenaed to appear in a civil case is dismissed and excused from further appearance as soon as the witness has given testimony in chief and has been cross examined thereon, unless either party moves in open court that the witness remain in appearance and the court so orders. Witness fees will not be allowed any witness after the day on which the witness' testimony is given, except when the witness has in open court been required to remain in further appearance, and when so required the clerk shall note that fact.

(g)Contempt.

Failure by any person without adequate excuse to obey a subpoena served upon that person may be deemed a contempt of the court from which the subpoena issued. An adequate cause for failure to obey exists when a subpoena purports to require a non-party to appear for a deposition, produce documents, or permit inspection at a place not within the limits provided by subsection (e)(2).

(h)Form. A subpoena should be substantially in the form below.

State of Washington

[NAME OF COURT]

County of ________________________________

No. ____________________________

_________________________________ v.	SUBPOENA IN A CIVIL CASE
_________________________________

TO:

[ ] YOU ARE COMMANDED to appear in the above captioned court at the place, date, and time specified below to testify in the above case.

____________________ PLACE OF TESTIMONY	____________________ COURTROOM
	____________________ DATE AND TIME

[ ] YOU ARE COMMANDED to appear at the place, date, and time specified below to testify at the taking of a deposition in the above case.

Any organization not a party to this suit that is subpoenaed for the taking of a deposition shall designate one or more officers, directors, or managing agents, or other persons who consent to testify on its behalf, and may set forth, for each person designated, the matters on which the person will testify. CRLJ 26.

____________________ PLACE OF TESTIMONY

____________________ DATE AND TIME

[ ] YOU ARE COMMANDED to produce and permit inspection and copying of the following documents or tangible things at the place, date, and time specified below (list documents or objects):

____________________ PLACE

____________________ DATE AND TIME

[ ] YOU ARE COMMANDED to permit inspection of the following premises at the date and time specified below.

____________________ PREMISES	____________________ DATE AND TIME
__________________________________________________ ISSUING OFFICER'S NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER
__________________________________________________
PROOF OF SERVICE
DATE __________________	PLACE SERVED ________________________________
___________________________________________
SERVED BY (PRINT NAME)	MANNER OF SERVICE
___________________________________________
SERVED BY (PRINT NAME)	TITLE
__________________________________________________
DECLARATION OF SERVER

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Washington that the foregoing information contained in the Proof of Service is true and correct.

Executed on _______________________________________________________
DATE/PLACE	SIGNATURE OF SERVER
	____________________ ADDRESS OF SERVER

CRLJ 45, Sections (c) & (d):

(c)Protection of Persons Subject to Subpoenas.

(1) A party or an attorney responsible for the issuance and service of a subpoena shall take reasonable steps to avoid imposing undue burden or expense on a person subject to that subpoena. The court shall enforce this duty and impose upon the party or attorney in breach of this duty an appropriate sanction, which may include, but is not limited to, lost earnings and a reasonable attorney's fee.

(2)

(A) A person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying of designated books, papers, documents or tangible things, or inspection of premises need not appear in person at the place of production or inspection unless commanded to appear for deposition, hearing or trial.

(B) Subject to subsection (d)(2) of this rule, a person commanded to produce and permit inspection and copying may, within 14 days after service of the subpoena or before the time specified for compliance if such time is less than 14 days after service, serve upon the party or attorney designated in the subpoena written objection to inspection or copying of any or all of the designated materials or of the premises. If objection is made, the party serving the subpoena shall not be entitled to inspect and copy the materials or inspect the premises except pursuant to an order of the court by which the subpoena was issued. If objection has been made, the party serving the subpoena may, upon notice to the person commanded to produce and all other parties, move at any time for an order to compel the production. Such an order to compel production shall protect any person who is not a party or an officer of a party from significant expense resulting from the inspection and copying commanded.

(3)

(A) On timely motion, the court by which a subpoena was issued shall quash or modify the subpoena if it:

(i) fails to allow reasonable time for compliance;

(ii) fails to comply with RCW 5.56.010 or subsection (e)(2) of this rule;

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

(iv) subjects a person to undue burden, provided that the court may condition denial of the motion upon a requirement that the subpoenaing party advance the reasonable cost of producing the books, papers, documents, or tangible things.

(B) If a subpoena

(i) requires disclosure of a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information, or

(ii) requires disclosure of an unretained expert's opinion or information not describing specific events or occurrences in dispute and resulting from the expert's study made not at the request of any party, the court may, to protect a person subject to or affected by the subpoena, quash or modify the subpoena or, if the party in whose behalf the subpoena is issued shows a substantial need for the testimony or material that cannot be otherwise met without undue hardship and assures that the person to whom the subpoena is addressed will be reasonably compensated, the court may order appearance or production only upon specified conditions.

(d)Duties in Responding to Subpoena.

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

(2)

(A) When information subject to a subpoena is withheld on a claim that it is privileged or subject to protection as trial preparation materials, the claim shall be made expressly and shall be supported by a description of the nature of the documents, communications, or things not produced that is sufficient to enable the demanding party to contest the claim.

(B) If information produced in response to a subpoena 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 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 party disclosed it before being notified; and may promptly present the information in camera to the court for a determination of the claim. The person responding to the subpoena must preserve the information until the claim is resolved.

Wash. R. Ct. Lim. Juri. CRLJ 45

Adopted effective 9/1/1984; Amended effective 9/1/1989; 9/1/2009; amended effective 6/7/2024.