N.D.R.Civ.P.
RULE 34. PRODUCTION OF
PRODUCING DOCUMENTS, ELECTRONICALLY
STORED INFORMATION AND TANGIBLE THINGS, AND
ENTRY UPON OR
ENTERING ONTO LAND, FOR INSPECTION AND OTHER PURPOSES
(a) Scope In General.
Any party may serve on any other party a request
A party may serve on any other party a request within the scope of Rule 26(b):
(1) to produce and permit the party making the request, or someone acting on the
requestor's behalf, to inspect, copy, test or sample any designated documents or
electronically stored information -- including writings, drawings, graphs, charts,
photographs, sound recordings, images and other data or data compilations stored in any
medium from which information can be obtained -- translated, if necessary, by the
respondent into reasonably usable form, or to inspect, copy, test, or sample any designated
tangible things that constitute or contain matters within the scope of Rule 26(b) and which
are in the possession, custody or control of the party upon whom the request is served;
or
to produce and permit the requesting party or its representative to inspect, copy, test, or sample the following items in the responding party's possession, custody, or control:
(A) and designated documents or electronically stored information including writings, drawings, graphs, charts, photographs, sound recordings, images, and other data or data compilations stored in any medium from which information can be obtained either directly or, if necessary, after translation by the responding party into a reasonably usable form; or
(B) any designated tangible things; or
(2) to permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or
control of
the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring,
surveying, photographing, testing, or sampling the property or any designated object or
operation thereon, within the scope of Rule 26(b).
to permit entry onto designated land or other property possessed or controlled by the responding party, so that the requesting party may inspect, measure, survey, photograph, test, or sample the property or any designated object or operation on it.
(b) Procedure.
The request, without leave of court, may be served upon the plaintiff after
commencement
of the action and upon any other party with or after service of the summons and complaint
upon that party. The request must set forth, either by individual item or by category, the
items to be inspected and describe each with reasonable particularity. The request must
specify a reasonable time, place, and manner of making the inspection and performing the
related acts. The request may specify the forms in which electronically stored information
is to be produced.
(1) Contents of the Request. The request:
(A) must describe with reasonable particularity each item or category of items to be inspected;
(B) must specify a reasonable time, place and manner for the inspection and for performing the related acts; and
(C) may specify the form or forms in which electronically stored information is to be produced.
The party upon whom the request is served shall serve a written response within 30
days
after the service of the request, but a defendant may serve a response within 45 days after
service of the summons and complaint upon that defendant. A shorter or longer time may
be directed by the court or, in the absence of such an order, agreed to in writing by the
parties, subject to Rule 29. The response must state, with respect to each item or category,
that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested, unless the request is
objected to, including an objection to the requested form or forms for providing
electronically stored information, stating the reasons for objection. If objection is made to
part of an item or category, the part must be specified and inspection permitted to the
remaining parts. If objection is made to the requested form or forms for producing
electronically stored information -- or if no form was specified in the request -- the
responding party must state the form or forms it intends to use. The party submitting the
request may move for an order under Rule 37(a) with respect to any objection to or other
failure to respond to the request or any part thereof, or any failure to permit inspection as
requested.
(2) Responses and Objections. The party to whom the request is directed must respond in writing within 30 days of being after being served, but a defendant is not required to serve its response until 45 days after service of the summons and complaint on it. A shorter or longer time may be stipulated to under Rule 29 or be ordered by the court.
(B) Responding to Each Item. For each item or category, the response must either state that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested or state an objection to the request, including the reasons.
(C) Objections. An objection to part of a request must specify the part and permit inspection of the rest.
(D) Responding to a Request for Production of Electronically Stored Information. The request may state an objection to a requested form for producing electronically stored information. If the responding party objects to a requested form or if no for was specified in the request the party must state the form or forms it intends to use.
Unless the parties otherwise agree, or the court otherwise orders:
(E) Producing the Documents or Electronically Stored Information. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court, these procedures apply to producing documents or electronically stored information:
(i) a party who produces documents for inspection shall produce them as they are
kept in
the usual course of business or shall organize and label them to correspond with the
categories in the request;
A party must produce documents as they are kept in the usual course of business or must organize and label them to correspond to the categories in the request;
(ii) if a request does not specify the form or forms for producing electronically
stored
information, a responding party must produce the information in a form or forms in which
it is ordinarily maintained or in a form or forms that are reasonably usable;
If the request does not specify a form for producing electronically stored information, a party must produce it in a form or forms in which it ordinarily maintained or in a reasonably usable form or forms; and
(iii) a party need not produce the same electronically stored information in more than one form.
(c) Persons not parties Nonparties.
A person not a party to the action may be compelled to produce documents and
things or
to submit to an inspection as provided in Rule 45.
As provided in Rule 45, a nonparty may be compelled to produce documents and tangible things or to permit an inspection.
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Rule 34 was amended, effective July 1, 1981; March 1, 1990; January 1, 1995; March 1, 1997; March 1, 2008;_______________________.
An objection must be served within the time for serving a response or the objection is waived. Any extension must be in writing and should specify whether the extension includes responses, objections, or both.
Rule 34 was amended, effective _______________, in response to the December 1, 2007, revision of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The language and organization of the rule were changed to make the rule more easily understood and to make style and terminology consistent throughout the rules.
Rule 34 was amended, effective March 1, 2008, in response to the 2006 federal revision. The amendments provide guidance regarding requests for electronically stored information.
Sources: Joint Procedure Committee Minutes of _________________________; September 28-29, 2006, pages 20-22; January 25-26, 1996, page 6; September 28-29, 1995, page 14; April 20, 1989, page 2; December 3, 1987, page 11; October 30-31, 1980, pages 20-22; November 29-30, 1979, page 7; N.D.R.Ev. 510 (Waiver of Privilege by Voluntary Disclosure); Fed.R.Civ.P. 34.
Statutes Affected:
Superseded: N.D.R.C. 1943 § 31-0804.
Cross Reference: Rules N.D.R.Civ.P. 16 (Pre-Trial Procedure --
Formulating Issues),
N.D.R.Civ.P. 26 (General Provisions Governing Discovery), N.D.R.Civ.P. 29
(Stipulations
Regarding Discovery Procedures), and N.D.R.Civ.P. 37 (Failure to Make Discovery --
Sanctions), N.D.R.Civ.P.