Camille Cosby Can Be Deposed but OK to Skip Certain Questions
— -- A judge ruled today that Camille Cosby can be deposed in a civil lawsuit against her husband, Bill Cosby.
But she does not have to answer questions protected by the marital disqualification rule in connection with the lawsuit filed by seven women who claim that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them, U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni ruled in Massachusetts.
In a filing last month to delay her deposition, lawyers for Camille Cosby argued that state law should preserve "the confidentiality of marital communications."
If she’s forced to testify, they argued, there should be "a protective order limiting its scope."
"Critically important decision by the court today, agreeing with Mrs. Cosby's appellate argument, affirming the confidential nature of and protection afforded to marital communications," her attorneys told ABC News of today's ruling.
The marital disqualification rule states that a person does not have to testify about private conversations with a spouse unless it's a proceeding involving the marriage or parenting.
Bill Cosby, 78, has been sued by seven women who claim that he "drugged and/or sexually assaulted each" of them. He filed a countersuit on Dec. 14, and his lawyers have repeatedly denied the women's accusations.
Camille Cosby, the comedian's wife of more than 50 years, was subpoenaed in early December, and originally filed to have the deposition quashed.
A magistrate rejected that argument on New Year's Eve, and the deposition is scheduled for later this month in Springfield, Massachusetts.
