Rule 73.Discovery in expedited civil actions.

Rule 15-6-73 keeps discovery in an expedited civil action on a short leash. Absent agreement of the parties or leave of court on a showing of good cause, all discovery must be completed no later than 60 days before trial.

Within that window, the rule limits each discovery tool. Each side may serve no more than ten interrogatories, including discrete subparts, under Rule 15-6-33. Each side may serve no more than ten requests for production, including discrete subparts, under Rule 15-6-34. Each side may serve no more than ten requests for admission, including discrete subparts, under Rule 15-6-36, though that cap does not apply to requests asking a party to admit the genuineness of documents it intends to offer at trial. On oral depositions, each party may be deposed once, with a single representative deponent standing in for a corporation, partnership, voluntary association, or other group or entity named as a party, and each side may also depose up to two nonparties.

Expert testimony gets its own limit: each side is entitled to one retained expert, again absent agreement or a good-cause showing. A party who needs more than these limits allow must file a written motion for leave of court that sets out the proposed additional discovery and the reasons establishing good cause for it.