Sec. 202.20b. Limitations on depositions

(a) Unless otherwise stipulated to by the parties or ordered by the court:

(1) the number of depositions taken by plaintiffs, or by defendants, or by third-party defendants, shall be limited to 10; and

(2) depositions shall be limited to 7 hours per deponent.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the propriety of and timing for depositions of non-parties shall be subject to any restrictions imposed by applicable law.

(c) For the purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the deposition of an entity through one or more representatives shall be treated as a single deposition even though more than one person may be designated to testify on the entity’s behalf.

(d) For the purposes of this rule, each deposition of an officer, director, principal or employee of an entity who is also a fact witness, as opposed to an entity representative pursuant to CPLR 3106(d), shall constitute a separate deposition.

(e) For the purposes of paragraph (a)(2) of this section, the deposition of an entity shall be treated as a single deposition even though more than one person may be designated to testify on the entity’s behalf. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the cumulative presumptive durational limit may be enlarged by agreement of the parties or upon application for leave of court, which shall be freely granted.

(f) For good cause shown, the court may alter the limits on the number of depositions or the duration of an examination.

(g) Nothing in this rule shall be construed to alter the right of any party to seek any relief that it deems appropriate under the CPLR or other applicable law.