Opinion
Civil Action No. 09-cv-01268-MSK-KLM.
February 11, 2010
ORDER
ENTERED BY MAGISTRATE JUDGE KRISTEN L. MIX
This matter is before the Court on Plaintiff's Motion to Ask Courts[sic] Permission to Appoint Notary Public and Official [Docket No. 57; Filed January 8, 2010] (the "Motion"). Plaintiff seeks the appointment of a notary public and official so that he can take depositions of Defendants. He claims that he is indigent and cannot afford to pay for the depositions.
It is apparent that Plaintiff requests appointment of a court reporter for his depositions of Defendants. Plaintiff is appearing pro se and has been granted in forma pauperis status. Other than the filing fee, in forma pauperis status does not relieve Plaintiff of the costs associated with litigation. Green v. Dormire, No. 08-4047-CV-C-NKL, 2010 WL 56004, at * 2 (W.D. Mo. Jan. 5, 2010); Ayers v. Richards, No. C08-5390 BHS/KLS, 2009 WL 2163176, at * 5. Fed.R.Civ.P. 30(b) requires that the party seeking the deposition bear the costs of recording the deposition. The Court does not have the authority to pay a party's discovery expenses, including the payment of a court reporter. Brooks v. Quinn Quinn, 257 F.R.D. 415, 417 (D. Del. 2009); Shoucair v. Snacker, No. 05-40341, 2009 WL 482689, at *1 (E.D. Mich. Feb. 25, 2009). Any costs associated with the taking of a deposition are to be borne by Plaintiff. Id.; Shallowhorn v. United States, No. 1:07-cv-1856-OWW-SMS, 2008 WL 2875353, at * 2 (E.D. Cal. July 23, 2008); see also Wright v. United States, 948 F. Supp. 61, 61-62 (M.D. Fla. 1996) (collecting cases). If Plaintiff is unable to afford to depose Defendants, he has other discovery options, including interrogatories, requests for admissions, and requests for the production of documents. Green, 2010 WL 56004 at *4. Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motion is DENIED.