Designations specify page and line ranges of deposition testimony to be read or played at trial. They are exchanged before trial under the pretrial order, followed by counter-designations and objections.
The court rules on objections before presentation.
Alternative Names:
Designation, Testimony Designation
Why it Matters?
Designation practice is deadline-driven and volume-heavy, and it is where trial preparation frequently falls behind. Designating too broadly invites objections and produces playback the jury will not follow, while designating narrowly risks omitting context that counter-designation will supply anyway. Working from a topical digest rather than reading the full transcript is what makes the task manageable within the pretrial window.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How broad should designations be?
What makes the task manageable?
