This is a code snippet I have used where I currently work to handle deadlocks:

-- The following snippet is for building deadlock handling.

declare @ErrorNumber int,

@ErrorLine int,

@ErrorMessage nvarchar(4000),

@ErrorProcedure nvarchar(128),

@ErrorSeverity int,

@ErrorState int;

while 1 = 1

begin

begin transaction;

begin try;

-- <-- code goes here -->

commit;

break;

end try

begin catch

rollback;

select

@ErrorNumber = ERROR_NUMBER(),

@ErrorLine = ERROR_LINE(),

@ErrorMessage = ERROR_MESSAGE(),

@ErrorProcedure = ERROR_PROCEDURE(),

@ErrorSeverity = ERROR_SEVERITY(),

@ErrorState = ERROR_STATE();

if @ErrorNumber = 1205 -- Trap deadlock

begin

WAITFOR DELAY '00:00:00.05' -- Wait for 50 ms

continue;

end

else begin

-- All other errors

raiserror(@ErrorMessage,@ErrorSeverity,@ErrorState);

end

end catch

end