Editorial Note on Part 15
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 15 appear at 62 FR 19669, Apr. 23, 1997.

§ 15.12 Definitions. For the purpose of this subpart: ( a ) *Agency counsel* means the Chief Counsel/s or General Counsel/s (or that official's designee) of a bureau or operating unit within the U.S. Department of Commerce who is the senior legal officer responsible for overseeing legal advice and guidance provided to a particular bureau or operating unit.
( b ) *Component* means Office of the Secretary or a bureau or operating unit of the Department as defined in Department Organization Order 1-1.
( c ) *Counsel to the Inspector General* means Counsel to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
( d ) *Demand* means a request, order, or subpoena for testimony or documents for use in any legal proceeding, regardless of whether the United States is a party to the proceeding.
( e ) *Department* means the United States Department of Commerce and any of its components, bureaus, or operating units.
( f ) Document or information means any record, regardless of format, medium or physical characteristic, document, electronically stored information, paper and other property of the Department, including without limitation, official letters, telegrams, memoranda, reports, studies, writings, emails, calendar and diary entries, text or chat messages, maps, graphs, pamphlets, notes, charts, tabulations, analyses, statistical or informational accumulations, any kind of summaries of meetings and conversations, film impressions, magnetic tapes or sound or mechanical reproductions. Nothing in this paragraph (f) shall be interpreted as requiring the creation of a new document to respond to any demand.
( g ) *Employee* means any current or former employees or officers of the U.S. Department of Commerce, including any commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or any other individual who has been appointed by, or is subject to the supervision, jurisdiction, or control of the U.S. Department of Commerce, including contract employees. Contractors may be included.
( h ) *General Counsel* means the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Commerce or other U.S. Department of Commerce employee to whom the General Counsel has delegated authority to act under this subpart.
( i ) *Inspector General* means the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
( j ) *Legal proceeding* means all pretrial, trial, and post-trial stages of any existing or reasonably anticipated judicial or administrative actions, hearings, investigations, or similar proceedings before administrative, civil, or criminal courts, commissions, boards, or other tribunals, domestic—including local, tribal, state, and Federal—foreign, or international. “Legal proceedings” includes all phases of discovery as well as responses to any formal or informal requests by attorneys, investigators, or other persons not employed by the Department, regarding, testimony, documents, information, or consultation, solicited for use in any legal proceedings.
( k ) *Official business* means the authorized business of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
( l ) *Secretary* means the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
( m ) *Testimony* means a statement in any form, including personal appearances before a judge, magistrate, administrative law judge, administrative judge, hearing officer, special master, special counsel, investigating officer or board, or any other court or legal tribunal; declarations made pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1746; interviews; depositions; telephonic, televised, or videotaped statements; or any responses given during discovery or similar proceedings, which response would involve more than the production of documents.
( n ) *United States* means the Federal Government, its departments and agencies, and individuals acting on behalf of the Federal Government.
[87 FR 162, Jan. 4, 2022]