107 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 16.215 

such other matters as the hearing offi-
cer determines will assist in a prompt, 
full and fair hearing of the issues. 

(c) 

Prehearing conference report. At 

the close of the prehearing conference, 
the hearing officer rules on any re-
quests for evidence and the production 
of documents in the possession of other 
parties, responses to interrogatories, 
and admissions; on any requests for 
depositions; on any proposed stipula-
tions; and on any pending applications 
for subpoenas as permitted by § 16.219. 
In addition, the hearing officer estab-
lishes the schedule, which shall provide 
for the issuance of an initial decision 
not later than 110 days after issuance 
of the Director’s Determination order 
unless otherwise provided in the hear-
ing order. 

[Doc. No. 27783, 61 FR 54004, Oct. 16, 1996, as 
amended at Amdt. 16–1, 78 FR 56147, Sept. 12, 
2013] 

§ 16.213

Discovery. 

(a) Discovery is limited to requests 

for admissions, requests for production 
of documents, interrogatories, and 
depositions as authorized by § 16.215. 

(b) The hearing officer shall limit the 

frequency and extent of discovery per-
mitted by this section if a party shows 
that— 

(1) The information requested is cu-

mulative or repetitious; 

(2) The information requested may be 

obtained from another less burdensome 
and more convenient source; 

(3) The party requesting the informa-

tion has had ample opportunity to ob-
tain the information through other dis-
covery methods permitted under this 
section; or 

(4) The method or scope of discovery 

requested by the party is unduly bur-
densome or expensive. 

§ 16.215

Depositions. 

(a) 

General.  For good cause shown, 

the hearing officer may order that the 
testimony of a witness may be taken 
by deposition and that the witness 
produce documentary evidence in con-
nection with such testimony. Gen-
erally, an order to take the deposition 
of a witness is entered only if: 

(1) The person whose deposition is to 

be taken would be unavailable at the 
hearing; 

(2) The deposition is deemed nec-

essary to perpetuate the testimony of 
the witness; or 

(3) The taking of the deposition is 

necessary to prevent undue and exces-
sive expense to a party and will not re-
sult in undue burden to other parties or 
in undue delay. 

(b) 

Application for deposition. Any 

party desiring to take the deposition of 
a witness shall make application there-
for to the hearing officer in writing, 
with a copy of the application served 
on each party. The application shall in-
clude: 

(1) The name and residence of the 

witness; 

(2) The time and place for the taking 

of the proposed deposition; 

(3) The reasons why such deposition 

should be taken; and 

(4) A general description of the mat-

ters concerning which the witness will 
be asked to testify. 

(c) 

Order authorizing deposition. If 

good cause is shown, the hearing offi-
cer, in his or her discretion, issues an 
order authorizing the deposition and 
specifying the name of the witness to 
be deposed, the location and time of 
the deposition and the general scope 
and subject matter of the testimony to 
be taken. 

(d) 

Procedures for deposition. (1) Wit-

nesses whose testimony is taken by 
deposition shall be sworn or shall af-
firm before any questions are put to 
them. Each question propounded shall 
be recorded and the answers of the wit-
ness transcribed verbatim. 

(2) Objections to questions or evi-

dence shall be recorded in the tran-
script of the deposition. The inter-
posing of an objection shall not relieve 
the witness of the obligation to answer 
questions, except where the answer 
would violate a privilege. 

(3) The written transcript shall be 

subscribed by the witness, unless the 
parties by stipulation waive the sign-
ing, or the witness is ill, cannot be 
found, or refuses to sign. The reporter 
shall note the reason for failure to 
sign. 

(e) 

Depositions of agency employees. (1) 

Depositions of Agency Employees will 
not be allowed except under the provi-
sions of 49 CFR part 9. 

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