TITLE 43 - PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR

SUBTITLE A - OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

PART 35 - ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES FOR FRAUDULENT CLAIMS AND STATEMENTS

35.21 - Discovery.

  (a) The following types of discovery are authorized: (1) Requests for production of documents for inspection and copying; (2) Requests for admissions of the authenticity of any relevant document or of the truth of any relevant fact; (3) Written interrogatories; and (4) Depositions.

  (b) For the purposes of this section and 35.22 and 35.23 of this part, the term documents includes information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and other data and documentary evidence.

Nothing contained herein shall be interpreted to require the creation of a document.

  (c) Unless mutually agreed to by the parties, discovery is available only as ordered by the ALJ. The ALJ shall regulate the timing of discovery.

  (d) Motions for discovery. (1) A party seeking discovery may file a motion with the ALJ. Such a motion shall be accompanied by a copy of the requested discovery, or in the case of depositions, a summary of the scope of the proposed deposition.

  (2) Within ten days of service, a party may file an opposition to the motion and/or a motion for protective order as provided in 35.24 of this part.

  (3) The ALJ may grant a motion for discovery only if he or she finds that the discovery sought (i) Is necessary for the expeditious, fair, and reasonable consideration of the issues; (ii) Is not unduly costly or burdensome; (iii) Will not unduly delay the proceeding; and (iv) Does not seek privileged information.

  (4) The burden of showing that discovery should be allowed is on the party seeking discovery.

  (5) The ALJ may grant discovery subject to a protective order under 35.24 of this part.

  (e) Depositions. (1) If a motion for deposition is granted, the ALJ shall issue a subpoena for the deponent, which may require the deponent to produce documents. The subpoena shall specify the time and place at which the deposition will be held.

  (2) The party seeking to depose shall serve the subpoena in the manner prescribed in 35.8 of this part.

  (3) The deponent may file with the ALJ a motion to quash the subpoena or a motion for a protective order within ten days of service.

  (4) The party seeking to depose shall provide for the taking of a verbatim transcript of the deposition, which it shall make available to all other parties for inspection and copying.

  (f) Each party shall bear its own costs of discovery.