Opinion
20-CV-7311 (LAK)
01-04-2024
E. JEAN CARROLL, Plaintiff, v. DONALD J. TRUMP, in his personal capacity, Defendant.
ORDER RULING ON OBJECTIONS TO DEPOSITION DESIGNATIONS
Lewis A. Kaplan United States District Judge
The Court's rulings on the objections noted by the parties to the designations and counter-designations of certain portions of Mr. Trump's deposition are set forth in the attached schedule. The notation “deferred” means that the Court reserves decision on the objection until it issues its ruling on the parties' outstanding evidentiary motions.
The Court overrules Mr. Trump's broad objection under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 32 to the use of any portion of his deposition transcript. His contention that its use would be improper because he is listed as a possible witness is utterly frivolous. Rule 32(a)(3) provides that an “adverse party may use for any purpose the deposition of a party,” whether they are available to testify live or not. Thus, Ms. Carroll will be permitted to play her otherwise admissible deposition designations at trial even were Mr. Trump to testify.
Fed R. Civ. P. 32(a)(3) (emphasis added); see also Wei Yan Yan v. 520 Asian Rest. Corp., No. 13-CV-2417 (KNF), 2014 WL 4378746, at *4 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 4, 2014) (broadly defining “any purpose”); Keawsri v. Ramen-Ya Inc., No. 17-CV-2406 (LJL), 2022 WL 2391692, at *1 (S.D.N.Y. July 1, 2022) (“it is quite immaterial that the adversary is available to testify at the trial or has testified there”) (internal citation and quotation marks omitted).
With respect to Ms. Carroll's objections to Mr. Trump's counter-designations, the Court again has sustained those objections that it has determined are inappropriate under Rule 32(a)(6), which allows a party to cross-designate and “introduce [only] other parts [of a deposition] that in fairness should be considered with the part introduced.” Mr. Trump attempts to include as counter-designations testimony that already was rejected on this basis in Carr oil II, and the Court incorporates its earlier order in that case to the extent relevant.
Dkt 158, Carroll v. Trump, No. 22-CV-10016 (LAK) (Carroll II).
SO ORDERED.
A. Plaintiffs Designations of Defendant's Deposition and Defendant's Objections
| Plaintiffs Designations | Defendant’s Objections | |
| 12:21 - 13:9 | Overruled | |
| 13:17- 13:19 | Overruled | |
| 13:24- 14:9 | Overruled | |
| 42:5 - 42:8 | Overruled | |
| 43:4-43:14 | Overruled | |
| 54:9- 55:3 | Overruled | |
| 55:7 - 55:18 | Overruled | |
| 56:8 - 56:12 | No objection | |
| 57:6- 57:11 | No objection | |
| 57:15 - 57:18 | No objection | |
| 60:3 -60:5 | No objection | |
| 61:6-61:14 | No objection | |
| 61:22-62:18 | No objection | |
| 67:7 - 67:9 | No objection | |
| 68:3 -68:21 | No objection | |
| 69:7 - 69:23 | No objection | |
| 81:21 – 83:2 Overruled | FRE 402, 403, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only. | |
| 87:6- 88:3 | Overruled | |
| 88:7- 88:17 | Overruled | |
| 89:18 -90:11 | No objection | |
| 93:19 -94:20 | Overruled | |
| 95:4 -95:5 | Overruled | |
| 95:8 - 95:8 | Overruled | |
| 103:8 - 103:19 | No objection | |
| 125:22 - 126:3 | Overruled | |
| 127:5 - 128:5 | Overruled | |
| 130:6- 130:19 | No objection | |
| 130:25 - 131:4 | Overruled | FRE 402,403 |
| 131:11 - 131:13 | Overruled | |
| 131:16-131:20 | Overruled | |
| 131:24- 132:5 | Sustained | |
| 134:10- 134:13 | Overruled | |
| 137:9- 138:3 | No objection | |
| 141:21 - 142:14 | Overruled | |
| 146:16- 146:21 | Overruled | |
| 147:3 - 147:17 | Overruled |
Plaintiffs Designations
Defendant's Objections
147:20-148:7 Overruled
148:9- 148:20 Overruled
148:22- 149:2 Overruled
149:4- 149:6 Overruled
168:20- 168:25 Deferred
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
169:4- 169:6 Deferred
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
169:8- 169:21 Deferred
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
170:2- 170:4 Deferred
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
174:5 - 174:21 Deferred
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
176:8 - 176:11 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
180:23 - 181:9 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
181:11 - 181:14 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
182:23 - 183:2 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
183:25 - 184:9 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
184:13 - 184:22 Sustained
FRE 402, 403, 404, Memorandum Opinion, Carroll v. Trump, No. 20 Civ. 7311 (Sept. 6, 2023), ECF 214 limiting trial to damages only.
209:4-209:19 Sustained
B. Defendant's Counter-Designations and Plaintiffs Objections
Defendant’s Counter-Designations Plaintiff s Objections 50:25-51:6 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 1063, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 51:8-51:12 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 53:11 - 53:24 Overruled FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402 55:20 (starting with “it wasâ€) - 56:5 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 58:5 - 58:6 No objection 58:14- 59:23 No objection 60:3 -60:18 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 802; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 No objection to 60:3 - 60:5 67:10 -67:18 Overruled FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 71:4-71:24 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 6 Defendant’s Counter-Designations Plaintiff s Objections 72:6 - 72:10 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 802; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214; see also Carroll II, Memorandum and Order on Plaintiffs In Limine Motion, ECF 95 at 21 (precluding Trump from “giving ... testimony concerning information allegedly known to persons whom he has not disclosedâ€) 72:14 - 73:16 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 802; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214; see also Carroll II, Memorandum and Order on Plaintiffs In Limine Motion, ECF 95 at 21 73:18-73:20 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 802; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214; see also Carroll II, Memorandum and Order on Plaintiffs In Limine Motion, ECF 95 at 21 77:14 (starting with “And if’) - 78:5 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 8024; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 80:4 - 80:16 Overruled FCRP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 91:3-91:15 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 412, 602, 802; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 103:6- 103:19 No objection 116:22 -117:4 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 119:5 -119:22 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 119:24 - 120:15 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 131:5-131:9 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 134:19 - 134:24 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 602, 802 7 Defendant's Counter-Designations Plaintiffs Objections 139:8 -139:24 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 141:3 -141:20 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 146:22 -147:2 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 148:9- 148:13 No objection 172:3 - 172:10 (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether the “Access Hollywood” tape is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 174:22 - 175:4 (ending with “people talk”) (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether the “Access Hollywood” tape is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 176:12 - 176:17 (ending with “remember it) (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether Natasha Stoynoff s testimony, and evidence relating to said testimony, is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 8 Defendant's Counter-Designations Plaintiffs Objections 176:19 (starting with “a long time”) -177:4 (ending with “phony charge”) (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether Natasha Stoynoffs testimony, and evidence relating to said testimony, is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiff's designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 183:13 - 183:23 (ending with “disgrace, also.”) (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether Jessica Leeds's testimony, and evidence relating to said testimony, is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 185:3 - 187:3 Sustained (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether Jessica Leeds's testimony, and evidence relating to said testimony, is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602, 802 191:25 - 192:22 (Defendant designates only because the issue of whether Jessica Leeds's testimony, and evidence relating to said testimony, is admissible at trial remains pending before this Court, and Plaintiffs designations on this issue, and reserves all rights on appeal) No objection 210:17-210:19 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 210:22-210:25 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214 9 Defendant's Counter-Designations Plaintiff's Objections 215:3 - 215:19 Sustained FRCP 32(a)(6); FRE 106, 402, 403, 602; Memorandum Opinion on Collateral Estoppel, ECF 214