37 CFR 11.52 — Representation of Others Before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
Current through: 2024-07-01

Written discovery.

§ 11.52 Written discovery. (a) After an answer is filed under § 11.36, a party may file a motion under § 11.43 seeking authorization to propound written discovery of relevant evidence, including: (1) A reasonable number of requests for admission, including requests for admission as to the genuineness of documents; (2) A reasonable number of interrogatories; (3) A reasonable number of documents to be produced for inspection and copying; and (4) A reasonable number of things other than documents to be produced for inspection. (b) The motion shall include a copy of the proposed written discovery requests and explain in detail, for each request made, how the discovery sought is reasonable and relevant to an issue actually raised in the complaint or the answer. Any response shall include specific objections to each request, if any. Any objection not raised in the response will be deemed to have been waived. (c) The hearing officer may authorize any discovery requests the hearing officer deems to be reasonable and relevant. Unless the hearing officer orders otherwise, within 5 days of the hearing officer authorizing any discovery requests, the moving party shall serve a copy of the authorized discovery requests to the opposing party and, within 30 days of such service, the opposing party shall serve responses to the authorized discovery requests. (d) Discovery shall not be authorized under paragraph (c) of this section of any matter that: (1) Will be used by another party solely for impeachment; (2) Is not available to the party under 35 U.S.C. 122; (3) Relates to any other disciplinary proceeding before the Office; (4) Relates to experts; (5) Is privileged; or (6) Relates to mental impressions, conclusions, opinions, or legal theories of any attorney or other representative of a party. (e) The hearing officer may deny discovery requested under paragraph (a) of this section if the discovery sought: (1) Will unduly delay the disciplinary proceeding; (2) Will place an undue burden on the party required to produce the discovery sought; or (3) Consists of information that is available: (i) Generally to the public, (ii) Equally to the parties, or (iii) To the party seeking the discovery through another source. (f) A request for admission will be deemed admitted if the party to whom the request is directed fails to respond or object to the request within the time allowed. (g) The hearing officer may require parties to file and serve, prior to any hearing, a pre-hearing statement that contains: (1) A list (together with a copy) of all proposed exhibits to be used in connection with a party's case-in-chief; (2) A list of proposed witnesses; (3) As to each proposed expert witness: (i) An identification of the field in which the individual will be qualified as an expert, (ii) A statement as to the subject matter on which the expert is expected to testify, (iii) A complete statement of all opinions to which the expert is expected to testify and the basis and reasons for them, and (iv) A description of all facts or data considered by the expert in forming the opinions; and (4) Copies of memoranda reflecting the respondent's own statements to administrative representatives. [86 FR 28462, May 26, 2021, as amended at 88 FR 45088, July 14, 2023]