### SERVE D AUGUS T 4 , 201 0 '-rP T CFJ-'-V^^PORWIO

N

U.S . DEPARTMEN T O F TRANSPORTATIO N

OFFIC E O F HEARING S WASHINGTON , D C IN TH E MATTE RO F 

### PRECISIO N DISPLAY S AN D TOOL S FA A DOCKE T No . CP09AL000 8 (Civil Penalt

y Case) DMS FAA-2009-073 3 

### ORDE RGRANTIN G MOTIO N FO RDECISIO N Thi s Orde r

grant s th e pleadin g o f

Complainant , Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n ("Complainant " o r

"agency" ) filedJul y 19 , 201 0 an dentitle dMotio n for Decisio n o n Violation s ("Motio n for

Decision") . Som e backgroun di s necessary . Earlier , o n Jun e 30 , 2010 , Complainan t ha dfiled amotio n askin g m e t o compe l Responden t

Precisio n Display s an dTool s ("Respondent" ) t o answe r Complainant' s discover y request . Th e discover y reques t ha dconsiste do f

request s for

admissions , interrogatories , an dareques t for production . Complainant' s motio n t o compe l als o ha d askedm e t o rul e tha t

Respondent' s failur e t o answe r it s request s fo r

admissio n b e deeme d an admissio n o f

th e truth o f

th e statement s containe di n thos e requests . I issue dan Orde r t o Sho w Caus e ("OSC") . Th e OS C directe dResponden t t o provid e b y Jul y 14 , 201 0 (receip t date ) "ful l an dcomplet e substantiv e answers " t o eac h reques t propounde di n Complainant' s discover y request , o r ris k sanctions. ' Responden t provide dt o Complainan t

arespons e t o th e discover y reques t o n th e du e date .

' Th e type s of sanction s included , bu

t wer e not limitedto , allegation s i

n th e Complain

t migh t b e deeme d admitted ; an

y an dal l matter s i n Complainant' s request s fo r admission migh

t be deemedadmitted ; Responden

t couldb e precludedfi-omintroducin g an y evidenc e a

t the hearing othe

r tha n persona l testimony ; an

dadefaul t judgment couldb e entere dagains t

Responden

t i n the ful l amoun t of the civi l penalt y requested . Orde

r to Sho w Cause , orderin g paragrap h #3 .Th e OS C als o ha ddirecte dResponden t t o stat e b y Jul y 14 , 201 0 wh y th e relie f Complainan t

ha drequeste di n it s motio n t o compe l shoul dno t b e granted . Responden t filedn o respons e t o thi s elemen t o f th e OSC . Th e agency' s Motio n for

Decisio n no w befor e m e seek s partia l summar y - ^ judgmen t unde r 1 4 C.F.R . §13.218(f)(5) , requestin g tha t th e violation s i t

ha s allege db e found . I n support . Complainan t make s tw o points . First , i t assert s tha t

Responden t

faile d t o follo w th e OSC' s directio n t o provid e fiill an dcomplet e substantiv e response s t o eac h discover y request . Second , i t contend s tha t

n o genuin e issu e o f

materia l fac t

regardin g th e violation s allege dremains , an di t i s therefor e entitle dt o judgmen t a s amatte r

o f law . Th e proceedin g shoul db e limite dt o th e issu e o f an appropriat e civi l penalty , th e agenc y asserts . Complainan t

mor e specificall y support s it s reques t for relie f i n allegin g tha t Respondent' s response s t o th e agency' s request s for admissio n wer e partial , "cursory, " an d"devoi do f

meaning. " Complainan t state s fiirther

tha t Responden t

di dnot respon dt o it s interrogatorie s o r

reques t for productio n at

all . I n support

o f it s secon dpoint . Complainan t

contend s tha t

Responden t

ha s acknowledge dfact s sufficien t t o prov e th e violation s i t

ha s alleged . Responden t

di dno t answe r th e Motio n for

Decision . I findtha t Responden t

ha s admitte dfact s an dconclusion s whic h sho w tha t i t ha s violate deac h o f

th e regulator y provision s i t i s charge dwit h violating . Responden t ha s admitte dtha t

it s employe e offere dan undeclare dshipmen t whic h containe dhazardou s material s an dthat , further , tha t employe e ha dno t

receive dth e requisit e hazma t trainin g {see Exhibi t

A t o th e Motio n for

Decision , pp . 5-6) . I n thi s light . Complainan t i s entitle d t o summar y judgmen t

o n every charge , exceptin g penalty . Ther e ar e independen t

grounds , moreover , for

grantin g th e relie f

requested . Respondent' s failur e t o contes t Complainant' s allegatio n tha t Respondent' s discover y respons e di dnot

compl y wit h th e directio n o f th e OS C t o provid e "fiil l an dcomplete " response s constitutes , unde r th e circumstances , an admissio n o f th e trut h o f

tha t assertion . Th e OS C ha dwame dtha t failur e t o submi t

acomplet e respons e woul dwarran t sanctions . Finally , Respondent' s failur e t o stat e wh y th e relie f Complainan t

requeste d- tha t

th e trut h o f th e statement s containe di n it s request s for admissio n b e deeme dadmitte d- shoul dnot

b e grante dals o constitute s abasi s for accordin g th e relie f

Complainan t request s i n it s Motion for Decision . WHEREUPON , for

all thes e reasons , i t

b e an di s hereb y ORDERE D a s follows : 1 . Complainant' s motio n for partia l summary judgmen t i s hereb y granted ; 2 . Th e allegation s o f th e Complaint , exceptin g thos e dealin g wit h th e issu e o f penalty , ar e foun dt o b e proven ;3 . Th e hearin g wil l tak e plac e a s schedule do n Augus t 17 , 2010 ; an d 4 . Th e hearin g wil l b e limite dt o th e questio n o f sanction . 

# i. ^ Lichar dUTGoodwi n U.S . Administrativ e La w Judg e Attachmen t

- Servic e Lis tFA A Docke t No . CP09AL000 8 (Civi l Penalt y Action ) SERVIC E LIS T ORIGINA L & ON E COP Y

Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . Washington , D C 2059 1 Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-4 3 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Buildin g - Suit e 2W1000 '

ON E COP Y Robert Persekian , Owne r Precisio n Display s an dTools, Responden t 155 5 Alu mRoc k

Avenue , Suit e 2 0 Sa n Jose , C A 9511 6 TEL : 408-504-2515 FAX : 408-251-799 0 Howar dL . Martin , Jr. , Complainant' s Counse l Regiona l Counsel , Offic e o f th e Regiona l Counsel , AAL- 7 Alaska n Regio n Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n 22 2 Wes t 7 * Avenue , Bo x 1 4 Anchorage , A K

99513-758 7 TEL : 907-271-526 9 FAX : 907-271-280 0 Th e Honorabl e Richar dC . Goodwin , Administrativ e La w Judg e Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Eas t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mEl2-32 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 TEL : Attorney-Adviso r

202-366-213 9 Lega l Assistan t

202-366-512 1 FAX : 202-366-753 6

' Servic e was by U.S . Mail . Fo r servic e i n person o r b y expeditedcourier , us e th e followin g address : Hearin g Docket , Federa

l Aviation Administration , 60 0 Independenc e Avenue , S . W. , Wilbu r Wrigh t Building - Roo

m 2014 , Washington , D

C 20591 , Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-430 .