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CPLR 3120 provides, among other things, that a party to an action, seeking
discovery, may serve a notice on another party, or a subpoena duces tecum on a non-party,
demanding documents:
“After commencement of an action, any party may serve on any other party
a notice or on any other person a subpoena duces tecum:
(i) to produce and permit the party seeking discovery, or someone acting on
his or her behalf, to inspect, copy, test or photograph any designated
documents or any things which are in the possession, custody or control of
the party or person served; or
(ii) to permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession,
custody or control of the party or person served for the purpose of inspecting,
measuring, surveying, sampling, testing, photographing or recording by
motion pictures or otherwise the property or any specifically designated
object or operation thereon.” (CPLR 3120 [1] [emphasis added].)
The immediately following statute, CPLR 3121, provides that a party to an action
in which the mental or physical condition or blood relationship of a party is in controversy
may serve a notice on that party, demanding submission to a physical, mental, or blood
examination by a designated physician:
“After commencement of an action in which the mental or physical condition
or the blood relationship of a party, or of an agent, employee or person in the
custody or under the legal control of a party, is in controversy, any party may
serve notice on another party to submit to a physical, mental or blood
examination by a designated physician, or to produce for such examination
his agent, employee or the person in his custody or under his legal control.”
(CPLR 3121 [a] [emphasis added].)
throughout the statutes and rules of the state” (CPLR 101). The distinction between “rules”
and “sections” still maintained throughout the CPLR is a vestige of its origins, retaining
little practical significance today. “Reference to a provision in the civil practice law and
rules may, except when such provision is being enacted or amended, be made without
indicating whether it is a rule or section” (CPLR 101). “Each of the [CPLR] Articles
contains a series of provisions preceded by ‘§’ or ‘Rule’ . . . For the practitioner, however,
there is no practical working difference between a section or a rule” (Morris D. Forkosch,
Abraham Wilson, Carmody-Forkosch New York Practice § 33 at 24).