Rule 10-131 NMRA
Rule 10-131. Persons before whom depositions may be taken.
A. Within the United States. Depositions shall be taken before an officer
authorized to administer oaths by the laws of the place where the examination is held,
or before a person appointed by the court in which the action is pending. A person so
appointed has power to administer oaths and take testimony.
B. In foreign countries. In a foreign country, depositions may be taken:
(1)
on notice before a person authorized to administer oaths in the place in
which the examination is held, either by the law thereof or by the law of the United
States or;
(2)
before a person commissioned by the court, and a person so
commissioned shall have the power by virtue of the commission to administer any
necessary oath and take testimony; or
(3)
pursuant to a letter rogatory. A commission or a letter rogatory shall be
issued on application and notice and on terms that are just and appropriate. It is not
requisite to the issuance of a commission or a letter rogatory that the taking of the
deposition in any other manner is impracticable or inconvenient; and both a commission
and a letter rogatory may be issued in proper cases. A notice or commission may
designate the person before whom the deposition is to be taken either by name or
descriptive title. A letter rogatory may be addressed "To the Appropriate Authority in
(here name the country)." Evidence obtained in response to a letter rogatory need not
be excluded merely for the reason that it is not a verbatim transcript or that the
testimony was not taken under oath or for any similar departure from the requirements
for depositions taken within the United States under these rules.
C. Disqualification for interest. Except as provided in Rule 10-132 NMRA, no
deposition shall be taken before a person who is a relative or employee or attorney or
counsel of any of the parties, or is a relative or employee of such attorney or counsel, or
is financially interested in the action. As used in this rule, an "employee" means a
person who is employed in the office of the respondent, the state or an attorney
representing a respondent in the proceedings.