Sec. 1.316  Depositions upon written interrogatories--notice and 
          preliminary procedure.

    (a) Service of interrogatories; notice. A party to the hearing 
proceeding desiring to take the deposition of any person upon written 
interrogatories shall serve the interrogatories upon every other party 
and shall give a minimum of 35 days notice in writing to every other 
party and to the person to be examined. An original and three copies of 
the interrogatories and the notice (and of all related pleadings) shall 
be filed with the Secretary of the Commission. A copy of the 
interrogatories and the notice (and of all related pleadings) shall be 
served on the presiding officer. The notice shall contain the following 
information:
    (1) The name and address of each person to be examined, if known, 
and if the name is not known, a general description sufficient to 
identify him or the particular class or group to which he belongs.
    (2) The time and place for taking the deposition of each person to 
be examined, and the name or descriptive title and address of the 
officer before whom the deposition is to be taken.
    (3) The matters upon which each person will be examined. See 
Sec. 1.319.
    (b) Additional interrogatories. Within 7 days after the filing and 
service of the original interrogatories, any other party to the 
proceeding may, in the same manner, file and serve additional 
interrogatories to be asked of the same witness at the same time and 
place, with notice to the witness of any additional matters upon which 
he will be examined.
    (c) Cross interrogatories. Within 14 days after the filing and 
service of the original interrogatories, any party to the proceeding 
may, in the same manner, file and serve cross interrogatories, which 
shall be limited to matters raised in the original or in the additional 
interrogatories.
    (d) Responsive pleadings. (1) Within 21 days after service of the 
original interrogatories, any party to the proceeding may move to limit 
or suppress any original, additional or cross interrogatory, and the 
person to be examined may file a motion opposing the taking of 
depositions. See Sec. 1.319(a).
    (2) Within 28 days after service of the original interrogatories, a 
response to a motion to limit or suppress any interrogatory or to a 
motion opposing the taking of depositions may be filed by any party to 
the proceeding.
    (3) Additional pleadings should not be filed and will not be 
considered.
    (e) Protective order. On a motion to limit or suppress or an 
opposition motion filed under paragraph (d) of this section, or on his 
own motion, the presiding officer may issue a protective order. See 
Sec. 1.313. A protective order issued by the presiding officer on his 
own

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motion may be issued at any time prior to the date specified in the 
notice for the taking of depositions.
    (f) Authority to take depositions. (1) If an opposition motion is 
not filed within 21 days after service of the notice to take 
depositions, and if the presiding officer does not on his own motion 
issue a protective order prior to the time specified in the notice for 
the taking of depositions, the depositions described in the notice may 
be taken. An order for the taking of depositions is not required.
    (2) If an opposition motion is filed, the depositions described in 
the notice shall not be taken until the presiding officer has acted on 
that motion. If the presiding officer authorizes the taking of 
depositions, he may specify a time, place or officer for taking them 
different from that specified in the notice to take depositions.
    (3) If the presiding officer issues a protective order, the 
depositions described in the notice may be taken (if at all) only in 
accordance with the provisions of that order.

    Note: The computation of time provisions of Sec. 1.4(g) shall not 
apply to interrogatories and pleadings filed under the provisions of 
this section.

[ 33 FR 10571 , July 25, 1968]