Attorneys try to stop DeSantis appointees from giving depositions in Disney lawsuit

abcnews.go.com:

Attorneys for the Walt Disney World governing district taken over last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis’ supporters don’t want the governor’s appointees answering questions under oath as part of a lawsuit against Disney

ORLANDO, Fla. — Attorneys for the Walt Disney World governing district taken over last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis' allies don't want the governor's appointees answering questions under oath as part of its state lawsuit against Disney.

District attorneys on Monday filed a motion for a protective order that would stop the DeSantis-appointed board members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District from having to give videotaped depositions to Disney attorneys.

Disney and the DeSantis appointees are fighting in state court over who controls the governing district for Disney World. The district had been controlled by Disney supporters before last year's takeover — which was sparked by the company's opposition to Florida's so-called “Don't Say Gay” law. It provides municipal services such as firefighting, planning and mosquito control, among other things, and was controlled by Disney supporters for most of its five decades.

District attorneys cite the “apex doctrine,” which generally provides that high-level government officers shouldn't be subject to depositions unless opposing parties have exhausted all other means of obtaining information. The doctrine is used in just a handful of U.S. states, including Florida.

“Disney cannot demonstrate that the individual board members have unique, personal knowledge that would be relevant to any of the claims, counterclaims or defenses in this action to overcome the apex doctrine,” district attorneys said in their motion. “Disney's assault-style effort to depose all the