CFR > Title 39 - Postal Service > CHAPTER I—UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE > SUBCHAPTER N—PROCEDURES (parts 912 to 966) > PART 952—RULES OF PRACTICE IN PROCEEDINGS RELATIVE TO FALSE REPRESENTATION AND LOTTERY ORDERS (EFF. UNTIL 7-22-2011) > 952.21—Depositions, interrogatories, requests for admission of fact and production of documents.

952.21—Depositions, interrogatories, requests for admission of fact and production of documents.

(a) Not later than 5 days after the filing of Respondent's answer, any party may file application with the Recorder for the taking of testimony by deposition. In support of such application the applicant shall submit under oath or affirmation a statement setting out the reasons why such testimony should be taken by deposition, the time and the place, and the name and address of the witness whose deposition is desired, the subject matter of the testimony of each witness and its relevancy.
(b) If the application is granted, the order for the taking of the deposition will specify the time and place thereof, the name of the witness, and require that the deposition be taken before a person authorized to administer oaths as required by paragraph (f) of this section.
(c) Each witness testifying upon deposition shall be duly sworn, and the adverse party shall have the right to cross-examine. The questions and answers together with all objections, shall be reduced to writing and, unless waived by stipulation of the parties, shall be read to and subscribed by the witness in the presence of the deposition officer who shall certify it in the usual form. The deposition officer shall file the testimony taken by deposition as directed in the order. The deposition officer shall put the witness on oath. All objections made at the time of examination shall be noted by the deposition officer and the evidence objected to shall be taken subject to the objections. In lieu of participating in the oral examination, a party may transmit written interrogatories to the officer, who shall propound them to the witness and record the answers verbatim. Objections to relevancy or materiality of testimony, or to errors and irregularities occurring at the oral examination in the manner of taking the deposition, in the form of the questions or answers, in the oath or affirmation, or in the conduct of the parties and errors of any kind which might be obviated, cured or removed if promptly presented, are waived unless timely objection is made at the taking of the deposition.
(d) At the hearing any part or all of the deposition may be offered in evidence by any party who was present or represented at the taking of the deposition or who had notice thereof. If the deposition is not offered and received in evidence, it shall not be considered as a part of the record in the proceeding. The admissibility of depositions or parts thereof shall be governed by the rules of evidence.
(e) The party requesting the deposition shall pay all fees required to be paid to witnesses and the deposition officer, and shall provide an original and one copy of the deposition for the official record, and shall serve one copy upon the opposing party.
(f) Within the United States or within a territory or insular possession, subject to the dominion of the United States, depositions or interrogatories may be taken or certified before an officer authorized to administer oaths by the laws of the United States or of the place where the examination is held; within a foreign country, depositions or interrogatories may be taken or certified before a secretary of an embassy or legation, consul general, vice consul or consular agent of the United States, or any other person designated in the order for the taking of a deposition.
(g) Depositions may also be taken and submitted on written interrogatories in substantially the same manner as depositions taken by oral examination. When a deposition is taken upon written interrogatories and cross-interrogatories, none of the parties except a witness who is a party shall be present or represented, and no person, other than the witness, a stenographic reporter, and the officer shall be present at the examination of the witness, which fact shall be certified by the officer, who shall propound the interrogatories and cross-interrogatories to the witness in their order and reduce the testimony to writing in the witness' own words. For good cause shown or by stipulation of the parties, written interrogatories and cross-interrogatories propounding questions of fact may be answered by the witness in writing, without the presence of an officer and without being recorded by a stenographic reporter, provided the answers are sworn to by the witness before a person authorized to administer an oath prescribed by paragraph (f).
(h) Not later than 5 days after the filing of Respondent's answer, any party may serve on the other party a request for the admission of specified facts. In the event the party served refuses timely to respond to the request for admissions, the presiding officer for good cause shown may require the party served to admit or deny each requested fact. The factual propositions set out in the request shall be deemed admitted upon the failure of a party to respond to the presiding officer's order for admission or denial.
(i) Not later than 5 days after the filing of Respondent's answer, either party may file an application for the production of documents or objects. The application shall state the cause therefor and specifically identify the documents or objects and their relevance and materiality to the cause or causes in issue. The presiding officer may order the other party to produce and permit the inspection and photographing of any designated documents or objects not privileged which are reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. If the parties cannot themselves agree thereon, the presiding officer shall specify such terms and conditions in making the inspection and taking the copies and photographs.
(j) Failure of a party to comply with an order pursuant to this rule may result in the presiding officer's ruling that the disobedient party may not support or oppose designated charges or defenses or may not introduce designated matters in evidence. The presiding officer may also infer from the disobedient party's failure to comply with the order that the facts to which the order related would, if produced or admitted, be adverse to such party's interests. The admissibility of matter adduced by operation of § 952.21 shall be governed by § 952.18.

Code of Federal Regulations

[36 FR 11563, June 16, 1971, as amended at 44 FR 61960, Oct. 29, 1979; 44 FR 65399, Nov. 13, 1979]

Code of Federal Regulations

Effective Date Note: At 76 FR 36320, June 22, 2011, part 952 was revised, effective July 22, 2011. For the convenience of the user, the revised text is set forth as follows: PART 952—RULES OF PRACTICE IN PROCEEDINGS RELATIVE TO FALSE REPRESENTATION AND LOTTERY ORDERS (EFF. 7-22-2011) § 952.21 Discovery. (a) Voluntary discovery. The parties are encouraged to engage in voluntary discovery procedures. In connection with any deposition or other discovery procedure, the presiding officer may issue any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, and those orders may include limitations on the scope, method, time and place for discovery, and provisions for protecting the secrecy of confidential information or documents. (b) Discovery disputes. The parties are required to make a good faith effort to resolve objections to discovery requests informally. A party receiving an objection to a discovery request, or a party which believes that another party's response to a discovery request is incomplete or entirely absent, may file a motion to compel a response, but such a motion must include a representation that the moving party has tried in good faith, prior to filing the motion, to resolve the matter informally. The motion to compel shall include a copy of each discovery request at issue and the response, if any. (c) Discovery limitations. The presiding officer may limit the frequency or extent of use of discovery methods described in these rules. In doing so, generally the presiding officer will consider whether: (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 by discovery in the case to obtain the information sought; or (3) The discovery is unduly burdensome and expensive, taking into account the needs of the case, the amount in controversy, limitations on the parties' resources, and the importance of the issues at stake. (d) Interrogatories. At any time after service of the complaint, a party may serve on the other party written interrogatories to be answered separately in writing, signed under oath and returned within 30 days. Upon timely objection, the presiding officer will determine the extent to which the interrogatories will be permitted. (e) Requests for admission. At any time after service of the complaint, a party may serve upon the other party a request for the admission of specified facts. Within 30 days after service, the party served shall answer each requested fact or file objections thereto. The factual propositions set out in the request may be ordered by the presiding officer as deemed admitted upon the failure of a party to respond timely and fully to the request for admissions. (f) Requests for production of documents. At any time after service of the complaint, a party may serve on the other party written requests for the production, inspection, and copying of any documents, electronically stored information, or things, to be answered within 30 days. Upon timely objection, the presiding officer will determine the extent to which the requests must be satisfied, and if the parties cannot themselves agree thereon, the presiding officer shall specify just terms and conditions for compliance. (g) Depositions. Except as stated herein, depositions shall be conducted in accordance with Rule 30 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. (1) After a complaint has been filed and docketed, the parties may mutually agree to, or the presiding officer may, upon application of either party and for good cause shown, order the taking of testimony of any person by deposition upon oral examination or written interrogatories before any officer authorized to administer oaths at the place of examination, for use as evidence or for purpose of discovery. The application for order shall specify whether the purpose of the deposition is discovery or for use as evidence. (2) The time, place, and manner of conducting depositions shall be as mutually agreed by the parties or, failing such agreement, and upon proper application, governed by order of the presiding officer. (3) No testimony taken by deposition shall be considered as part of the evidence in the hearing of an appeal unless and until such testimony is offered and received in evidence at or before such hearing. It will not ordinarily be received in evidence if the deponent is available to testify at the hearing,
Code of Federal Regulations 272
but the presiding officer may admit testimony taken by deposition in his or her discretion. A deposition may be used to contradict or impeach the testimony of the witness given at the hearing. In cases submitted on the written record in lieu of an oral hearing, the presiding officer may, in his or her discretion, receive depositions as evidence in supplementation of that record. (4) Each party shall bear its own expenses associated with the taking of any deposition unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer. (h) Sanctions. If a party fails to appear for a deposition, after being served with a proper notice, or fails to serve answers or objections to interrogatories, requests for admissions, or requests for the production or inspection of documents, after proper service, the party seeking discovery may request that the presiding officer impose appropriate orders. Failure of a party to comply with an order pursuant to this rule may result in the presiding officer's ruling that the disobedient party may not support or oppose designated charges or defenses or may not introduce designated matters in evidence. The presiding officer may also infer from the disobedient party's failure to comply with the order that the facts to which the order related would, if produced or admitted, be adverse to such party's interests. In the sole discretion of the presiding officer, failure of a party to comply with an order pursuant to this rule may result in the presiding officer's issuance of an order of default under § 952.11(c) .