39 C.F.R. § 3001.27 Requests for production of documents or things for purpose of discovery.
Title 39 - Postal Service
(a) Service and contents. In the interest of expedition and limited to information which appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence, any participant may serve on any other participant to the proceeding a request to produce and permit the participant making the request, or someone acting in his/her behalf, to inspect and copy any designated documents or things that constitute or contain matters, not privileged, that are relevant to the subject matter involved in the proceeding and that are in the custody or control of the participant to whom the request is addressed. The request shall set forth the items to be inspected either by individual item or category, and describe each item and category with reasonable particularity, and shall specify a reasonable time, place and manner of making inspection. The participant requesting the production of documents or things shall file its request with the Commission in conformance with §§3001.9 through 3001.12. (b) Answers. The participant responding to the request shall file an answer with the Commission in conformance with §§3001.9 through 12 within 14 days after the request is filed, or within such other period as may be fixed by the Commission or presiding officer. The answer shall state, with respect to each item or category, that inspection will be permitted as requested unless the request is objected to pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section. (c) Objections. In the interest of expedition, the bases for objection shall be clearly and fully stated. If objection is made to part of an item or category, the part shall be specified. A participant claiming privilege shall identify the specific evidentiary privilege asserted and state with particularity the reasons for its applicability. A participant claiming undue burden shall state with particularity the effort that would be required to answer the request, providing estimates of cost and work hours required, to the extent possible. Objections shall be filed with the Commission in conformance with §§3001.9 through 3001.12 within 10 days of the request for production. (d) Motions to compel requests for production of documents or things for purposes of discovery. Motions to compel shall be filed within 14 days of the answer or objection to the discovery request. The text of the discovery request, and any answer provided, should be provided as an attachment to the motion to compel. Participants who have objected to requests for production of documents or things which are the subject of a motion to compel shall have seven days to answer. Answers will be considered supplements to the arguments presented in the initial objection. (e) Compelled answers. Upon motion of any participant to the proceeding to compel a response to discovery, as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, the Commission or the presiding officer may compel production of documents or things to which an objection is found not to be valid. Such compelled documents or things shall be made available to the participant making the motion within seven days of the date of the order compelling production or within such other period as may be fixed by the Commission or presiding officer, but before the conclusion of the hearing. When complying with orders to produce documents or things, notice shall be filed in conformance with §§3001.9 through 3001.12. The Commission or the presiding officer may, on such terms and conditions as are just and reasonable, order that any participant in a proceeding shall respond to a request for inspection, and may make any protective order of the nature provided in §3001.26(g) as may be appropriate. [65 FR 6541, Feb. 10, 2000, as amended at 67 FR 67562, Nov. 6, 2002]
Title 39: Postal Service
PART 3001—RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
Subpart A—Rules of General Applicability
§ 3001.27 Requests for production of documents or things for purpose of discovery.
