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100 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 16.25 

(2) Include all documents then avail-

able in the exercise of reasonable dili-
gence, to be offered in support of the 
complaint, and to be served upon all 
persons named in the complaint as per-
sons responsible for the alleged ac-
tion(s) or omission(s) upon which the 
complaint is based; 

(3) Provide a concise but complete 

statement of the facts relied upon to 
substantiate each allegation; and 

(4) Except for complaints filed under 

49 CFR 26.105(c), describe how the com-
plainant was directly and substantially 
affected by the things done or omitted 
to be done by the respondents. 

(c) Unless the complaint is dismissed 

pursuant to § 16.25 or § 16.27, the FAA 
notifies the complainant and respond-
ent in writing within 20 days after the 
date the FAA receives the complaint 
that the complaint has been docketed. 

(d) The respondent shall file an an-

swer within 20 days of the date of serv-
ice of the FAA notification or, if a mo-
tion is filed under § 16.26, within 20 days 
of the date of service of an FAA order 
denying all or part of that motion. 

(e) The complainant may file a reply 

within 10 days of the date of service of 
the answer. 

(f) The respondent may file a rebuttal 

within 10 days of the date of service of 
the complainant’s reply. 

(g) The answer, reply, and rebuttal 

shall, like the complaint, be accom-
panied by supporting documentation 
upon which the parties rely. 

(h) The answer shall deny or admit 

the allegations made in the complaint 
or state that the person filing the doc-
ument is without sufficient knowledge 
or information to admit or deny an al-
legation, and shall assert any affirma-
tive defense. 

(i) The answer, reply, and rebuttal 

shall each contain a concise but com-
plete statement of the facts relied upon 
to substantiate the answers, admis-
sions, denials, or averments made. 

(j) Amendments or supplements to 

the pleadings described in this section 
will not be allowed without showing 
good cause through a motion and sup-
porting documents. 

(k) 

Burden of proof. Except as used in 

subpart F of this part, 

(1) The burden of proof is on the com-

plainant to show noncompliance with 

an Act or any regulation, order, agree-
ment or document of conveyance 
issued under the authority of an Act. 

(2) Except as otherwise provided by 

statute or rule, the proponent of a mo-
tion, request, or order has the burden 
of proof. 

(3) A party who has asserted an af-

firmative defense has the burden of 
proving the affirmative defense. 

(l) Except for good cause shown 

through motion and supporting docu-
ments, discovery is not permitted ex-
cept as provided in §§ 16.213 and 16.215. 

[Doc. No. 27783, 61 FR 54004, Oct. 16, 1996, as 
amended at Amdt. 16–1, 78 FR 56143, Sept. 12, 
2013] 

§ 16.25

Dismissals. 

(a) Within 20 days after the receipt of 

the complaint, unless a motion has 
been filed under § 16.26, the Director 
will dismiss a complaint, or any claim 
made in a complaint, with prejudice if: 

(1) It appears on its face to be outside 

the jurisdiction of the Administrator 
under the Acts listed in § 16.1; 

(2) On its face it does not state a 

claim that warrants an investigation 
or further action by the FAA; or 

(3) The complainant lacks standing 

to file a complaint under §§ 16.3 and 
16.23. 

(b) A dismissal under this section 

will include the reasons for the dis-
missal. 

[Amdt. 16–1, 78 FR 56144, Sept. 12, 2013] 

§ 16.26

Motions to dismiss and motions 

for summary judgment. 

(a) In lieu of an answer, the respond-

ent may file a motion to dismiss the 
complaint or a motion for summary 
judgment on the complaint. The re-
spondent may move for dismissal of the 
entire complaint or move for dismissal 
of particular issues from adjudication. 
The motion must be filed within 20 
days after the date of service of the 
FAA notification of docketing. 

(b) 

Motions to dismiss. (1) A motion to 

dismiss shall be accompanied by a con-
cise statement of the reasons for seek-
ing dismissal. The respondent must 
show that the complaint should be dis-
missed, with prejudice, if: 

(i) It appears on its face to be outside 

the jurisdiction of the Administrator 
under the Acts listed in § 16.1; 

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101 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 16.29 

(ii) On its face it does not state a 

claim that warrants an investigation 
or further action by the FAA; or 

(iii) The complainant lacks standing 

to file a complaint under §§ 16.3 and 
16.23. 

(2) A motion to dismiss may seek dis-

missal of the entire complaint or the 
dismissal of specified claims in the 
complaint. A motion to dismiss shall 
be accompanied by a supporting memo-
randum of points and authorities. 

(3) A complainant may file an answer 

to the motion to dismiss within 10 days 
of the date the motion is served on the 
complainant, or within any other pe-
riod set by the Director. The answer 
shall be accompanied by a concise 
statement of reasons for opposing dis-
missal, and may be accompanied by af-
fidavits and other documentary evi-
dence in support of that contention. 

(4) Within 30 days of the date an an-

swer to a motion to dismiss is due 
under this section, the Director may 
issue an order disposing of the motion. 
If the Director denies the motion to 
dismiss in whole or in part, or grants 
the motion in part, then within 20 days 
of when the order is served on the re-
spondent, the respondent shall file an 
answer to the complaint. 

(5) If the Director does not act on the 

motion to dismiss within 30 days of the 
date an answer to a motion is due 
under this section, the respondent shall 
file an answer to the complaint within 
the next 20 days. 

(c) 

Motions for summary judgment. (1) 

A motion for summary judgment may 
be based upon the ground that there is 
no genuine issue of material fact for 
adjudication and that the complaint, 
when viewed in the light most favor-
able to the complainant, should be 
summarily adjudicated in favor of the 
respondent as a matter of law. A mo-
tion for summary judgment may seek 
dismissal of the entire complaint or 
dismissal of specified claims or issues 
in the complaint. 

(2) The motion for summary judg-

ment shall be accompanied by a con-
cise statement of the material facts as 
to which the respondent contends there 
is no genuine issue of material fact. 
The motion may include affidavits and 
documentary evidence in support of the 

contention that there is no genuine 
issue of material fact in dispute. 

(3) A complainant may file an answer 

to the motion for summary judgment 
within 10 days of the date the motion is 
served on the complainant, or within 
any other period set by the Director. 
The answer shall be accompanied by a 
concise statement of the material facts 
as to which the complainant contends 
there is a genuine issue, and may be ac-
companied by affidavits and other doc-
umentary evidence in support of that 
contention. 

(4) Within 30 days of the date an an-

swer to a motion for summary judg-
ment is due under this section, the Di-
rector may issue an order disposing of 
the motion. If the Director denies the 
motion in whole or in part, or grants 
the motion in part, then within 20 days 
of when the order is served on the re-
spondent, the respondent shall file an 
answer to the complaint. 

(5) If the Director does not act on the 

motion for summary judgment within 
30 days of the date an answer to a mo-
tion is due under this section, the re-
spondent shall file an answer to the 
complaint within the next 20 days. 

[Amdt. 16–1, 78 FR 56144, Sept. 12, 2013] 

§ 16.27

Incomplete complaints. 

(a) If a complaint is not dismissed 

pursuant to § 16.25, but is deficient as to 
one or more of the requirements set 
forth in § 16.21 or § 16.23(b), the Director 
will dismiss the complaint within 20 
days after receiving it. Dismissal will 
be without prejudice to the refiling of 
the complaint after amendment to cor-
rect the deficiencies. The Director’s 
dismissal will include the reasons for 
the dismissal. 

(b) Dismissals under this section are 

not initial determinations, and appeals 
from decisions under this section will 
not be permitted. 

[Amdt. 16–1, 78 FR 56144, Sept. 12, 2013] 

§ 16.29

Investigations. 

(a) If, based on the pleadings, there 

appears to be a reasonable basis for fur-
ther investigation, the FAA inves-
tigates the subject matter of the com-
plaint. 

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