Source: https://www.oshrc.gov/rules/subpart-d-prehearing-procedures-and-discovery/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 12:25:21+00:00

Document:
§2200.51 Prehearing conferences and orders.
(ii) Any other matters appropriate to the circumstances of the case.
(b) Prehearing conference. In addition to the prehearing procedures set forth in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16, the Judge may upon his own initiative or on the motion of a party direct the parties to confer among themselves to consider settlement, stipulation of facts, or any other matter that may expedite the hearing.
§ 2200.52 General provisions governing discovery.
(iii) Interrogatories to the extent provided in §2200.55. Discovery is not available under these rules through depositions except to the extent provided in §2200.56. In the absence of a specific provision, procedure shall be in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, except that the provisions of Fedeal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a) do not apply to Commission proceedings.
(2) Time for discovery. A party may initiate all forms of discovery in conformity with these Rules at any time after the filing of the first responsive pleading or motion that delays the filing of an answer, such as a motion to dismiss. Discovery shall be initiated early enough to permit completion of discovery no later than 7 days prior to the date set for hearing, unless the Judge orders otherwise.
(3) Service of discovery papers. Every paper relating to discovery required to be served on a party shall be served on all parties.
(b) Scope of discovery. The information or response sought through discovery may concern any matter that is not privileged and that is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending case. It is not ground for objection that the information or response sought will be inadmissible at the hearing, if the information or response appears reasonably calculated to lead to discovery of admissible evidence, regardless of which party has the burden of proof.
(c) Limitations. The frequency or extent of the discovery methods provided by these rules may be limited by the Commission or Judge if it is determined that: (1) the discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative or duplicative, or is obtainable from some other source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive; (2) the party seeking discovery has had ample opportunity to obtain the information sought by discovery in the action; or (3) the discovery is unduly burdensome or expensive, taking into account the needs of the case, limitations on the parties' resources, and the importance of the issues in litigation.
(1) Claims of privilege. The initial claim of privilege shall specify the privilege claimed and the general nature of the material for which the privilege is claimed. In response to an order from the Judge or the Commission, or in response to a motion to compel, the claim shall: Identify the information that would be disclosed; set forth the privilege that is claimed; and allege the facts showing that the information is privileged. The claim shall be supported by affidavits, depositions, or testimony and shall specify the relief sought. The claim may be accompanied by a motion for a protective order or by a motion that the allegedly privileged information be received and the claim ruled upon in camera, that is, with the record and hearing room closed to the public, or ex parte, that is, without the participation of parties and their representatives. The Judge may enter an order and impose terms and conditions on his or her examination of the claim as justice may require, including an order designed to ensure that the allegedly privileged information not be disclosed until after the examination is completed.
(2) Upholding or rejecting claims of privilege. If the Judge upholds the claim of privilege, the Judge may order and impose terms and conditions as justice may require, including a protective order. If the Judge overrules the claim, the person claiming the privilege may obtain as of right an order sealing from the public those portions of the record containing the allegedly privileged information pending interlocutory or final review of the ruling, or final disposition of the case, by the Commission. Interlocutory review of such an order shall be given priority consideration by the Commission.
(8) That the parties simultaneously file specified documents or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the Commission or Judge.
(4) An order dismissing the action or proceeding or any part thereof, or rendering a judgment by default against the disobedient party.
(g) Unreasonable delays. None of the discovery procedures set forth in these rules shall be used in a manner or at a time which shall delay or impede the progress of the case toward hearing status or the hearing of the case on the date for which it is scheduled, unless, in the interests of justice, the Judge shall order otherwise. Unreasonable delays in utilizing discovery procedures may result in termination of the party's right to conduct discovery.
(h) Show cause orders. All show cause orders issued by the Commission or Judge under paragraph (f) of this section shall be served upon the affected party by certified mail, return receipt requested.
(ii) The identity of each person expected to be called as an expert witness at the hearing, the subject matter on which the person is expected to testify, and the substance of the person's testimony.
(ii) The party knows that the response though correct when made is no longer true and the circumstances are such that a failure to amend the response is in substance a knowing concealment.
(3) A duty to supplement responses may be imposed by order of the court, agreement of the parties, or at any time prior to the hearing through new requests for supplementation of prior responses.
(j) Filing of discovery. Requests for production or inspection under §2200.53, requests for admission under §2200.54 and responses thereto, interrogatories under §2200.55 and the answers thereto, and depositions under §2200.56 shall be served upon other counsel or parties, but shall not be filed with the Commission or the Judge. The party responsible for service of the discovery material shall retain the original and become the custodian.
(k) Relief from discovery requests. If relief is sought under §§2200.101 or 2200.52(e), (f), or (g) concerning any interrogatories, requests for production or inspection, requests for admissions, answers to interrogatories, or responses to requests for admissions, copies of the portions of the interrogatories, requests, answers, or responses in dispute shall be filed with the Judge or Commission contemporaneously with any motion filed under §§2200.101 or 2200.52(e), (f), or (g).
(l) Use at hearing. If interrogatories, requests, answers, responses, or depositions are to be used at the hearing or are necessary to a prehearing motion which might result in a final order on any claim, the portions to be used shall be filed with the Judge or the Commission at the outset of the hearing or at the filing of the motion insofar as their use can be reasonably anticipated.
(m) Use on review or appeal. When documentation of discovery not previously in the record is needed for review or appeal purposes, upon an application and order of the Judge or Commission the necessary discovery papers shall be filed with the Executive Secretary of the Commission.
§2200.53 Production of documents and things.
(2) Permit entry upon designated land or other property in the possession or control of the party upon whom the request is served for the purpose of inspection and measuring, surveying, photographing, testing or sampling the property or any designated object or operation thereon.
(b) Procedure. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected, either by individual item or by category, and describe each item and category with reasonable particularity. It shall specify a reasonable time, place and manner of making the inspection and performing related acts. The party upon whom the request is served shall serve a written response within 30 days after service of the request, unless the requesting party allows a longer time. The Commission or Judge may allow a shorter time or a longer time, should the requesting party deny an extension. The response shall state, with respect to each item or category, that inspection and related activities will be permitted as requested, unless the request is objected to in whole or in part, in which event the reasons for objection shall be stated. If objection is made to part of an item or category, that part shall be specified. To obtain a ruling on an objection by the responding party, the requesting party shall file a motion with the Judge and shall annex thereto his request, together with the response and objections, if any.
§ 2200.54 Request for admissions.
(a) Scope. At any time after the filing of the first responsive pleading or motion that delays the filing of an answer, such as a motion to dismiss, any party may serve upon any other party written requests for admissions, for purposes of the pending action only, of the genuineness and authenticity of any document described in or attached to the requests, or of the truth of any specified matter of fact. Each matter of which an admission is requested shall be separately set forth. The number of requested admissions shall not exceed 25, including subparts, without an order of the Commission or Judge. The party seeking to serve more than 25 requested admissions, including subparts, shall have the burden of persuasion to establish that the complexity of the case or the number of citation items necessitates a greater number of requested admissions.
(b) Response to requests. Each matter is deemed admitted unless, within 30 days after service of the requests or within such shorter or longer time as the Commission or Judge may allow, the party to whom the requests are directed serves upon the requesting party a written answer specifically admitting or denying the matter involved in whole or in part, or asserting that it cannot be truthfully admitted or denied and setting forth in detail the reasons why this is so, or an objection, stating in detail the reasons therefor. The response shall be made under oath or affirmation and signed by the party or his representative.
(c) Effect of admission. Any matter admitted under this section is conclusively established unless the Judge or Commission on motion permits withdrawal or modification of the admission. Withdrawal or modification may be permitted when the presentation of the merits of the case will be subserved thereby, and the party who obtained the admission fails to satisfy the Commission or Judge that the withdrawal or modification will prejudice him in presenting his case or defense on the merits.
(a) General. At any time after the filing of the first responsive pleading or motion that delays the filing of an answer, such as a motion to dismiss, any party may serve interrogatories upon any other party. The number of interrogatories shall not exceed 25 questions, including subparts, without an order of the Commission or Judge. The party seeking to serve more than 25 questions, including subparts, shall have the burden of persuasion to establish that the complexity of the case or the number of citation items necessitates a greater number of interrogatories.
(b) Answers. All answers shall be made in good faith and as completely as the answering party's information will permit. The answering party is required to make reasonable inquiry and ascertain readily obtainable information. An answering party may not give lack of information or knowledge as an answer or as a reason for failure to answer, unless he states that he has made reasonable inquiry and that information known or readily obtainable by him is insufficient to enable him to answer the substance of the interrogatory.
(c) Procedure. Each interrogatory shall be answered separately and fully under oath or affirmation. If the interrogatory is objected to, the objection shall be stated in lieu of the answer. The answers are to be signed by the person making them and the objections shall be signed by the party or his counsel. The party on whom the interrogatories have been served shall serve a copy of his answers or objections upon the propounding party within 30 days after the service of the interrogatories. The Judge may allow a shorter or longer time. The burden shall be on the party submitting the interrogatories to move for an order with respect to any objection or other failure to answer an interrogatory.
(a) General. Depositions of parties, intervenors, or witnesses shall be allowed only by agreement of all the parties, or on order of the Commission or Judge following the filing of a motion of a party stating good and just reasons. All depositions shall be before an officer authorized to administer oaths and affirmations at the place of examination. The deposition shall be taken in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, particularly Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 30.
(b) When to file. A motion to take depositions may be filed after the filing of the first responsive pleading or motion that delays the filing of an answer, such as a motion to dismiss.
(c) Notice of taking. Any depositions allowed by the Commission or Judge may be taken after 10 days written notice to the other party or parties. The 10-day notice requirement may be waived by the parties.
(d) Expenses. Expenses for a court reporter and the preparing and serving of depositions shall be borne by the party at whose instance the deposition is taken.
(e) Use of depositions. Depositions taken under this rule may be used for discovery, to contradict or impeach the testimony of a deponent as a witness, or for any other purpose permitted by the Federal Rules of Evidence and the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, particularly Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 32.
(f) Excerpts from depositions to be offered at hearing. Except when used for purposes of impeachment, at least 5 working days prior to the hearing, the parties or counsel shall furnish to the Judge and all opposing parties or counsel the excerpts from depositions (by page and line number) which they expect to introduce at the hearing. Four working days thereafter, the adverse party or counsel for the adverse party shall furnish to the Judge and all opposing parties or counsel additional excerpts from the depositions (by page and line number) which they expect to be read pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 32(a)(4), as well as any objections (by page and line number) to opposing party's or counsel's depositions. With reasonable notice to the Judge and all parties or counsel, other excerpts may be read.
(1) Telephone depositions may be conducted pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 30(b)(4).
(2) If a party objects to a telephone deposition, he shall make known his objections at least 5 days prior to the taking of the deposition. If the objection is not resolved by the parties or the Judge before the scheduled deposition date, the deposition shall be stayed pending resolution of the dispute.
(1) Stenographic recording. The videotaped deposition shall be simultaneously recorded stenographically by a qualified court reporter. The court reporter shall administer the oath or affirmation to the deponents on camera. The written transcript by the court reporter shall constitute the official record of the deposition for purposes of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 30(e) (submission to witness).
(2) Cost. The noticing party shall bear the expense of both the videotaping and the stenographic recording. Any party may at its own expense obtain a copy of the videotape and the stenographic transcript.
(3) Video operator. The operator(s) of the videotape recording equipment shall be subject to the provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 28(c). At the commencement of the deposition the operator(s) shall swear or affirm to record the proceedings fairly and accurately.
(4) Attendance. Each witness, attorney, and other person attending the deposition shall be identified on camera at the commencement of the deposition. Thereafter, only the deponent (and demonstrative materials used during the deposition) will be videotaped. Identification on camera of each witness, attorney, and other person attending the deposition may be waived by the attorneys for the parties.
(5) Standards. The deposition will be conducted in a manner to replicate, to the extent feasible, the presentation of evidence at a hearing. Unless physically incapacitated, the deponent shall be seated at a table or in a witness box except when reviewing or presenting demonstrative materials for which a change in position is needed. To the extent practicable, the deposition will be conducted in a neutral setting, against a solid background, with only such lighting as is required for accurate video recording. Lighting, camera angle, lens setting, and field of view will be changed only as necessary to record accurately the natural body movements of the deponent or to portray exhibits and materials used during the deposition. Sound levels will be altered only as necessary to record satisfactorily the voices of counsel and the deponent. Eating and smoking by deponents or counsel during the deposition will not be permitted.
(6) Interruptions. Videotape recording will be suspended during all "off the record" discussions.
(7) Index. The videotape operator shall use a counter on the recording equipment and after completion of the deposition shall prepare a log, cross-referenced to counter numbers, that identifies the positions on the tape at which examination by different counsel begins and ends; at which objections are made and examination resumes; at which exhibits are identified; and at which any interruption of continuous tape recording occurs, whether for recesses, "off the record" discussions, mechanical failure, or otherwise.
(8) Filing. If a videotaped deposition is used at the hearing, the original of the videotape recording, together with the transcript, the operator's log index, and a certificate of the operator attesting to the accuracy of the tape, shall be filed with the Judge. No part of a videotaped deposition shall be released or made available to any member of the public unless authorized by the Commission or the Judge.
(9) Objections. Requests for prehearing rulings on the admissibility of evidence obtained during a videotaped deposition shall be accompanied by appropriate pages of the written transcript. If the objection involves matters peculiar to the videotaping, a copy of the videotape and equipment for viewing the tape shall also be provided to the Commission or Judge.
(10) Use at hearing; purged tapes. A party desiring to offer a videotape deposition at the hearing shall be responsible for having available appropriate playback equipment and a trained operator. After the designation by all parties of the portions of a videotape to be used at the hearing, an edited copy of the tape, purged of unnecessary portions (and any portions to which objections have been sustained), must be prepared by the offering party to facilitate continuous playback; but a copy of the edited tape shall be made available to other parties at least 10 days before it is used, and the unedited original of the tape shall also be available at the hearing.
§2200.57 Issuance of subpoenas; Petitions to revoke or modify subpoenas; Right to inspect or copy data.
(a) Issuance of subpoenas. On behalf of the Commission or any member thereof, the Judge shall, on the application of any party, issue to the applying party subpoenas requiring the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of any evidence, including relevant books, records, correspondence, or documents, in his possession or under his control. The party to whom the subpoena is issued shall be responsible for its service. Applications for subpoenas, if filed prior to the assignment of the case to a Judge, shall be filed with the Executive Secretary at One Lafayette Centre, 1120 20th Street N.W., Suite 980, Washington, DC 20036-3457. After the case has been assigned to a Judge, applications shall be filed with the Judge. Applications for subpoena(s) may be made ex parte. The subpoena shall show on its face the name and address of the party at whose request the subpoena was issued.
(b) Service of Subpoenas. A subpoena may be served by any person who is not a party and is not less than 18 years of age. Service of a subpoena upon a person named therein may be made by service on the person named, by certified mail return receipt requested, or by leaving a copy at the person's principal place of business or at the person's residence with some person of suitable age and discretion residing therein.
(c) Revocation or modification of subpoenas. Any person served with a subpoena, whether ad testificandum or duces tecum, shall, within 5 days after the date of service of the subpoena upon him, move in writing to revoke or modify the subpoena if he does not intend to comply. All motions to revoke or modify shall be served on the party at whose request the subpoena was issued. The Judge or the Commission shall revoke or modify the subpoena if in its opinion the evidence whose production is required does not relate to any matter under investigation or in question in the proceedings or the subpoena does not describe with sufficient particularity the evidence whose production is required, or if for any other reason sufficient in law the subpoena is otherwise invalid. The Judge or the Commission, as the case may be, shall make a simple statement of procedural or other grounds for the ruling on the motion to revoke or modify. The motion to revoke or modify, any answer filed thereto, and any ruling thereon shall become a part of the record.
(d) Rights of persons compelled to submit data. Persons compelled to submit data or evidence at a public proceeding are entitled to retain or, on payment of lawfully prescribed costs, to procure copies of transcripts of the data or evidence submitted by them.
(e) Failure to comply with subpoena. Upon the failure of any person to comply with a subpoena issued upon the request of a party, the Commission by its counsel shall initiate proceedings in the appropriate district court for the enforcement thereof, if in its judgment the enforcement of such subpoena would be consistent with law and with policies of the Act. Neither the Commission nor its counsel shall be deemed thereby to have assumed responsibility for the effective prosecution of the same before the court.

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