§ 15-6-28(b) — Taking depositions in foreign countries.

In a foreign country, depositions may be taken: (1) Pursuant to any applicable treaty or convention; (2) Pursuant to a letter of request (whether or not captioned a letter rogatory); (3) 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 (4) 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. A commission or a letter of request 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 of request that the taking of the deposition in any other manner is impracticable or inconvenient; and both a commission and a letter of request 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 of request may be addressed "To the Appropriate Authority in (here name the country)." When a letter of request or any other device is used pursuant to any applicable treaty or convention, it shall be captioned in the form prescribed by that treaty or convention. Evidence obtained in response to a letter of request 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 this chapter.

Legislative History

SDC 1939 & Supp 1960, § 36.0510; SD RCP, Rule 28 (b), as adopted by Sup. Ct. Order March 29, 1966, effective July 1, 1966; SL 2006, ch 293 (Supreme Court Rule 06-19), eff. July 1, 2006.