Goto Section: 1.720 | 1.722 | Table of Contents
FCC 1.721
Revised as of October 1, 2008
Goto Year:2007 |
2009
Sec. 1.721 Format and content of complaints.
(a) Subject to paragraph (e) of this section governing supplemental
complaints filed pursuant to Sec. 1.722, and paragraph (f) of this section
governing Accelerated Docket proceedings, a formal complaint shall contain:
(1) The name of each complainant and defendant;
(2) The occupation, address and telephone number of each complainant and, to
the extent known, each defendant;
(3) The name, address, and telephone number of complainant's attorney, if
represented by counsel;
(4) Citation to the section of the Communications Act and/or order and/or
regulation of the Commission alleged to have been violated.
(5) A complete statement of facts which, if proven true, would constitute
such a violation. All material facts must be supported, pursuant to the
requirements of Sec. 1.720(c) and paragraph (a)(11) of this section, by relevant
affidavits and documentation, including copies of relevant written
agreements, offers, counter-offers, denials, or other related
correspondence. The statement of facts shall include a detailed explanation
of the manner and time period in which a defendant has allegedly violated
the Act, Commission order, or Commission rule in question, including a full
identification or description of the communications, transmissions,
services, or other carrier conduct complained of and the nature of any
injury allegedly sustained by the complainant. Assertions based on
information and belief are expressly prohibited unless made in good faith
and accompanied by an affidavit explaining the basis for the plaintiff's
belief and why the complainant could not reasonably ascertain the facts from
the defendant or any other source;
(6) Proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and legal analysis
relevant to the claims and arguments set forth in the complaint;
(7) The relief sought, including recovery of damages and the amount of
damages claimed, if known;
(8) Certification that the complainant has, in good faith, discussed or
attempted to discuss the possibility of settlement with each defendant prior
to the filing of the formal complaint. Such certification shall include a
statement that, prior to the filing of the complaint, the complainant mailed
a certified letter outlining the allegations that form the basis of the
complaint it anticipated filing with the Commission to the defendant carrier
or one of the defendant's registered agents for service of process that
invited a response within a reasonable period of time and a brief summary of
all additional steps taken to resolve the dispute prior to the filing of the
formal complaint. If no additional steps were taken, such certificate shall
state the reason(s) why the complainant believed such steps would be
fruitless;
(9) Whether a separate action has been filed with the Commission, any court,
or other government agency that is based on the same claim or same set of
facts, in whole or in part, or whether the complaint seeks prospective
relief identical to the relief proposed or at issue in a notice-and-comment
proceeding that is concurrently before the Commission;
(10) An information designation containing:
(i) The name, address, and position of each individual believed to have
firsthand knowledge of the facts alleged with particularity in the
complaint, along with a description of the facts within any such
individual's knowledge;
(ii) A description of all documents, data compilations and tangible things
in the complainant's possession, custody, or control, that are relevant to
the facts alleged with particularity in the complaint. Such description
shall include for each document:
(A) The date it was prepared, mailed, transmitted, or otherwise
disseminated;
(B) The author, preparer, or other source;
(C) The recipient(s) or intended recipient(s);
(D) Its physical location; and
(E) A description of its relevance to the matters contained in the
complaint; and
(iii) A complete description of the manner in which the complainant
identified all persons with information and designated all documents, data
compilations and tangible things as being relevant to the dispute,
including, but not limited to, identifying the individual(s) that conducted
the information search and the criteria used to identify such persons,
documents, data compilations, tangible things, and information;
(11) Copies of all affidavits, documents, data compilations and tangible
things in the complainant's possession, custody, or control, upon which the
complainant relies or intends to rely to support the facts alleged and legal
arguments made in the complaint;
(12) A completed Formal Complaint Intake Form;
(13) A declaration, under penalty of perjury, by the complainant or
complainant's counsel describing the amount, method, and date of the
complainant's payment of the filing fee required under Sec. 1.1106 and the
complainant's 10-digit FCC Registration Number, if any;
(14) A certificate of service; and
(15) A FCC Registration Number is required under Part 1, Subpart W.
Submission of a complaint without the FCC Registration Number as required by
Part 1, subpart W will result in dismissal of the complaint.
(b) The following format may be used in cases to which it is applicable,
with such modifications as the circumstances may render necessary:
Before the Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554
In the matter of
____________________
Complainant,
v.
____________________
Defendant.
File No. (To be inserted by the Enforcement Bureau)
Complaint
To: The Commission.
The complainant (here insert full name of each complainant and, if a
corporation, the corporate title of such complainant) shows that:
1. (Here state occupation, post office address, and telephone number of each
complainant).
2. (Here insert the name, occupation and, to the extent known, address and
telephone number of defendants).
3. (Here insert fully and clearly the specific act or thing complained of,
together with such facts as are necessary to give a full understanding of
the matter, including relevant legal and documentary support).
Wherefore, complainant asks (here state specifically the relief desired).
____________________
(Date)
____________________
(Name of each complainant)
____________________
(Name, address, and telephone number of attorney, if any)
(c) Where the complaint is filed pursuant to Sec. 47 U.S.C. Sec. 271(d)(6)(B), the
complainant shall clearly indicate whether or not it is willing to waive the
ninety-day resolution deadline contained within 47 U.S.C. 271(d)(6)(B), in
accordance with the requirements of Sec. 1.736.
(d) The complainant may petition the staff, pursuant to Sec. 1.3, for a waiver
of any of the requirements of this section. Such waiver may be granted for
good cause shown.
(e) Supplemental complaints. (1) Supplemental complaints filed pursuant to
Sec. 1.722 shall conform to the requirements set out in this section and Sec. 1.720,
except that the requirements in Sec. Sec. 1.720(b), 1.721(a)(4), (a) (5), (a)(8),
(9), (a)(12), and (a)(13) shall not apply to such supplemental complaints;
(2) In addition, supplemental complaints filed pursuant to Sec. 1.722 shall
contain a complete statement of facts which, if proven true, would support
complainant's calculation of damages for each category of damages for which
recovery is sought. All material facts must be supported, pursuant to the
requirements of Sec. 1.720(c) and paragraph (a)(11) of this section, by relevant
affidavits and other documentation. The statement of facts shall include a
detailed explanation of the matters relied upon, including a full
identification or description of the communications, transmissions,
services, or other matters relevant to the calculation of damages and the
nature of any injury allegedly sustained by the complainant. Assertions
based on information and belief are expressly prohibited unless made in good
faith and accompanied by an affidavit explaining the basis for the
complainant's belief and why the complainant could not reasonably ascertain
the facts from the defendant or any other source;
(3) Supplemental complaints filed pursuant to Sec. 1.722 shall contain a
certification that the complainant has, in good faith, discussed or
attempted to discuss the possibility of settlement with respect to damages
for which recovery is sought with each defendant prior to the filing of the
supplemental complaint. Such certification shall include a statement that,
no later than 30 days after the release of the liability order, the
complainant mailed a certified letter to the primary individual who
represented the defendant carrier during the initial complaint proceeding
outlining the allegations that form the basis of the supplemental complaint
it anticipates filing with the Commission and inviting a response from the
carrier within a reasonable period of time. The certification shall also
contain a brief summary of all additional steps taken to resolve the dispute
prior to the filing of the supplemental complaint. If no additional steps
were taken, such certification shall state the reason(s) why the complainant
believed such steps would be fruitless.
(f) Complaints on the Accelerated Docket. For the purpose of this paragraph
(e), the term document also shall include data compilations and tangible
things.
(1) Formal complaints that have been accepted onto the Accelerated Docket
shall conform to the requirements set out in this section with the following
listed exceptions:
(i) The requirement in Sec. 1.720(c) and paragraphs (a)(5) and (a)(11) of this
section that factual assertions be supported by affidavit shall not apply to
complaints on the Accelerated Docket. Nevertheless, allegations of material
fact, whether based on personal knowledge or information and belief, that
cannot be supported by documentation remain subject to the provisions of
Sec. 1.52.
(ii) Complaints on the Accelerated Docket are not required to include
proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and legal analysis relevant
to the claims and arguments set forth in the complaint, as required in
paragraph (a)(6) of this section. Nevertheless, complaints on the
Accelerated Docket shall fully set out the facts and legal theories on which
the complainant premises its claims.
(iii) In light of the requirement for staff-supervised settlement
negotiations in Sec. 1.730(b), complaints on the Accelerated Docket are not
required to include a certification that the complainant has discussed or
attempted to discuss the possibility of settlement with each defendant, as
required in paragraph (a)(8) of this section.
(iv) In light of the automatic document production required in Sec. 1.729(i)(1),
complaints on the Accelerated Docket are not required to include a
description of all relevant documents in the complainant's possession,
custody or control, as required in paragraph (a)(10)(ii) of this section.
(v) Complaints on the Accelerated Docket are not required to provide the
description, required in paragraph (a)(10)(iii) of this section, of the
manner in which the complainant identified persons with knowledge of, and
documents relevant to, the dispute.
(2) Formal complaints that have been accepted onto the Accelerated Docket
will comply with the following requirements in addition to those
requirements generally applicable in formal complaint proceedings:
(i) As required in Sec. 1.729(i)(1), complaints on the Accelerated Docket shall
be accompanied, when served on defendants, by copies of documents, within
the complainant's possession, custody or control, that are likely to bear
significantly on the issues raised in the complaint. Unless otherwise
directed, these documents shall not be filed with the Commission.
(ii) Complaints on the Accelerated Docket will bear the following notation
in bold typeface above the normal caption on the first page: “Accelerated
Docket Proceeding: Answer Due Within Ten Days of Service Date.”
[ 53 FR 11853 , Apr. 11, 1988, as amended at 63 FR 1035 , Jan. 7, 1998; 63 FR 41446 , Aug. 4, 1998; 64 FR 60725 , Nov. 8, 1999; 66 FR 16616 , Mar. 27, 2001;
66 FR 47895 , Sept. 14, 2001; 69 FR 41130 , July 7, 2004]
Goto Section: 1.720 | 1.722
Goto Year: 2007 |
2009
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