§ 13:4870 — Subpoena duces tecum

Irrespective of the right to apply for an order that a sworn list of documents be filed, the plaintiff may apply to the court by motion for an order that a subpoena duces tecum issue, directed to the defendant or any other party and requiring him to produce in court or to the clerk of the court at a time to be fixed in the order all the documents, including books, records, accounts and papers, which are in his possession or control relating to any matter with respect to which the action is pending, or specified documents, including books, records, accounts and papers, which are in his possession or control and are alleged in the motion to relate to any matter with respect to which the action is pending. The subpoena duces tecum may be directed to a corporation, domestic or foreign. On motion of the party to whom the subpoena duces tecum is directed, after two days notice to the plaintiff, and on showing that the production of specified documents in court or to the clerk of court, for the reasons stated in the motion, would so inconvenience the party that he should not be required so to produce them, the court may enter an order, (1) permitting the party to comply with the subpoena duces tecum by producing in court or to the clerk sworn copies of such original documents and (2) directing the party to produce the original documents for inspection to be copied and photographed by the plaintiff at a time not inconvenient to such party. Such copies may not be withdrawn by the defendant. The return of the party shall be made under oath that it is a full and correct compliance with the subpoena duces tecum, except as to described documents which, for the reasons stated in the return, are not produced. The plaintiff may apply to the court by motion for an order that the party produce the omitted documents. The clerk shall endorse on every document produced in court or to the clerk in compliance with a subpoena duces tecum the title and number of the action and the fact that the document is produced in compliance with a subpoena duces tecum directed to the party producing it. When documents are produced in court or to the clerk in compliance with a subpoena duces tecum the plaintiff may apply to the court by motion for an order that they remain in the custody of the clerk for a time to be fixed in the order, for inspection and to be copied and photographed by the plaintiff.
No document required by a subpoena duces tecum directed to a defendant to be produced in court or to the clerk of the court, which or an authorized sworn copy of which is not so produced, or which is not produced for inspection and to be copied and photographed by the plaintiff after a sworn copy thereof is permitted to be produced in court or to the clerk, shall be admissible in evidence at the instance of such defendant in any other action between the plaintiff and him.