(a) When a deposition may be taken.

(1) Without leave. A party may, by oral questions, depose any person, including a party, without leave of the presiding officer except as provided in §502.143(a)(2). The deponent's attendance may be compelled by subpoena under subpart I of this part.

(2) With leave. A party must obtain leave of the presiding officer, if the parties have not stipulated to the deposition and:

(i) The deposition would result in more than 20 depositions being taken under this rule or §502.144 by any party; or

(ii) The deponent has already been deposed in the case.

(b) Notice of the deposition; other formal requirements.

(1) Notice in general. A party who wants to depose a person by oral questions must give reasonable written notice to every other party. The notice must state the time and place of the deposition and, if known, the deponent's name and address. If the name is unknown, the notice must provide a general description sufficient to identify the person or the particular class or group to which the person belongs.

(2) Producing documents. If a subpoena duces tecum is to be served on the deponent, the materials designated for production, as set out in the subpoena, must be listed in the notice or in an attachment. The notice to a party deponent may be accompanied by a request under §502.146 to produce documents and tangible things at the deposition.

(3) Method of recording.

(i) Method stated in the notice. The party who notices the deposition must state in the notice the method for recording the testimony. Unless the presiding officer orders otherwise, testimony may be recorded by audio, audiovisual, or stenographic means. The noticing party bears the recording costs. Any party may arrange to transcribe a deposition.

(ii) Additional method. With prior notice to the deponent and other parties, any party may designate another method for recording the testimony in addition to that specified in the original notice. That party bears the expense of the additional record or transcript unless the presiding officer orders otherwise.

(4) By remote means. The parties may stipulate, or the presiding officer may on motion order, that a deposition be taken by telephone or other remote means.

(5) Officer's duties.

(i) Before the deposition. Unless the parties stipulate otherwise, a deposition must be conducted before an officer appointed or designated under §502.142. The officer must begin the deposition with an on-the-record statement that includes:

(A) The officer's name and business address;

(B) The date, time, and place of the deposition;

(C) The deponent's name;

(D) The officer's administration of the oath or affirmation to the deponent; and

(E) The identity of all persons present.

(ii) Conducting the deposition; avoiding distortion. If the deposition is recorded nonstenographically, the officer must repeat the items in §502.143(b)(5)(i)(A) through (C) at the beginning of each unit of the recording medium. The deponent's and attorneys' appearance or demeanor must not be distorted through recording techniques.

(iii) After the deposition. At the end of a deposition, the officer must state on the record that the deposition is complete and must set out any stipulations made by the attorneys about custody of the transcript or recording and of the exhibits, or about any other pertinent matters.

(6) Notice or subpoena directed to an organization. In its notice or subpoena, a party may name as the deponent a public or private corporation, a partnership, an association, a governmental agency, or other entity and must describe with reasonable particularity the matters for examination. The named organization must then designate one or more officers, directors, or managing representatives, or designate other persons who consent to testify on its behalf; and it may set out the matters on which each person designated will testify. A subpoena must advise a nonparty organization of its duty to make this designation. The persons designated must testify about information known or reasonably available to the organization. This paragraph (6) does not preclude a deposition by any other procedure allowed by these rules.

(c) Examination and cross-examination; record of the examination; objections; written questions.

(1) Examination and cross-examination. The examination and cross-examination of a deponent proceed as they would at hearing under the provisions of §502.202. After putting the deponent under oath or affirmation, the officer must record the testimony by the method designated under §502.143(b)(3). The testimony must be recorded by the officer personally or by a person acting in the presence and under the direction of the officer.

(2) Objections. An objection at the time of the examination, whether to evidence, to a party's conduct, to the officer's qualifications, to the manner of taking the deposition, or to any other aspect of the deposition, must be noted on the record, but the examination still proceeds; the testimony is taken subject to any objection. An objection must be stated concisely in a nonargumentative and nonsuggestive manner. A person may instruct a deponent not to answer only when necessary to preserve a privilege, to enforce a limitation ordered by the presiding officer, or to present a motion under §502.143(d)(2).

(3) Participating through written questions. Instead of participating in the oral examination, a party may serve written questions in a sealed envelope on the party noticing the deposition, who must deliver them to the officer. The officer must ask the deponent those questions and record the answers verbatim.

(d) Duration; sanction; motion to terminate or limit.

(1) Duration. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the presiding officer, a deposition is limited to 1 day of 7 hours. The presiding officer must allow additional time consistent with §502.141(e) if needed to fairly examine the deponent or if the deponent, another person, or any other circumstance impedes or delays the examination.

(2) Motion to terminate or limit.

(i) Grounds. At any time during a deposition, the deponent or a party may move to terminate or limit it on the ground that it is being conducted in bad faith or in a manner that unreasonably annoys, embarrasses, or oppresses the deponent or party. The motion may be filed with the presiding officer. If the objecting deponent or party so demands, the deposition must be suspended for the time necessary to obtain an order.

(ii) Order. The presiding officer may order that the deposition be terminated or may limit its scope and manner as provided in §502.141(j). If terminated, the deposition may be resumed only by order of the Commission or presiding officer.

(e) Review by the witness; changes.

(1) Review; statement of changes. On request by the deponent or a party before the deposition is completed, the deponent must be allowed 15 days after being notified by the officer that the transcript or recording is available in which:

(i) To review the transcript or recording; and

(ii) If there are changes in form or substance, to sign a statement listing the changes and the reasons for making them.

(2) Changes indicated in the officer's certificate. The officer must note in the certificate prescribed by §502.143(f)(1) whether a review was requested and, if so, must attach any changes the deponent makes during the 15-day period.

(f) Certification and delivery; exhibits; copies of the transcript or recording.

(1) Certification and delivery. The officer must certify in writing that the witness was duly sworn and that the deposition, transcript or recording accurately records the witness's testimony. The certificate must accompany the record of the deposition. Unless the presiding officer orders otherwise, the officer must seal the deposition in an envelope or package bearing the title of the action and marked “Deposition of [witness's name]” and must promptly send it to the attorney who arranged for the transcript or recording. The attorney must store it under conditions that will protect it against loss, destruction, tampering, or deterioration.

(2) Documents and tangible things.

(i) Originals and copies. Documents and tangible things produced for inspection during a deposition must, on a party's request, be marked for identification and attached to the deposition. Any party may inspect and copy them. But if the person who produced them wants to keep the originals, the person may:

(A) Offer copies to be marked, attached to the deposition, and then used as originals, after giving all parties a fair opportunity to verify the copies by comparing them with the originals; or

(B) Give all parties a fair opportunity to inspect and copy the originals after they are marked, in which event the originals may be used as if attached to the deposition.

(ii) Order regarding the originals. Any party may move for an order that the originals be attached to the deposition pending final disposition of the case.

(3) Copies of the transcript or recording. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the presiding officer, the officer must retain the stenographic notes of a deposition taken stenographically or a copy of the recording of a deposition taken by another method. When paid reasonable charges, the officer must furnish a copy of the transcript or recording to any party or the deponent. [Rule 203.]

[77 FR 61529, Oct. 10, 2012. Redesignated and amended at 81 FR 93836, Dec. 22, 2016]