BP Defendants Object to 'Burdensome' New Witness Disclosure Forms

NEW ORLEANS - BP and other defendants in the Deepwater Horizon multi-district litigation have asked a magistrate judge to reject plaintiffs' efforts to require witnesses to complete an expanded, two-page questionnaire prior to depositions. In re: Oil Spill by the Oil Rig "Deepwater Horizon" in the Gulf of Mexico, on April 20, 2010, MDL No. 2179 (E.D. La.).

Various BP parties and Cameron International filed separate briefs on Feb. 8 objecting to Plaintiffs Steering Committee's proposed amendment to a pre-trial order requiring deposition witnesses to complete a "Witness Profile" questionnaire before being deposed.

The existing profile sheet includes 17 questions. …