(a) Scope of discovery. Subject to the limitations set out in § 308.24, a party may obtain discovery regarding any non-privileged matter that has material relevance to the merits of the pending action, and is proportional to the needs of the action, considering the importance of the issues at stake in the action, the parties' resources, the importance of the discovery in resolving the issues, and whether the burden or expense of the proposed discovery outweighs its likely benefit. Parties may obtain discovery only through the production of documents and depositions, as set forth in the Uniform Rules and the Local Rules.

(b) Joint Discovery Plan. Within the time period set by the ALJ and prior to serving any discovery requests, the parties must meet and confer to consider the discovery needed to support their claims and defenses and discuss any issues about preserving discoverable information.

(1) At the meet and confer, the parties must use reasonable efforts to develop a Joint Discovery Plan that should contain the following elements:

(i) The subjects on which discovery may be needed, when discovery should be completed, and whether discovery should be conducted in phases or be limited to, or focused on, particular issues;

(ii) Any issues about disclosure, discovery, or preservation of electronically stored information (ESI), including the form or forms in which it should be produced;

(iii) Provisions regarding any anticipated discovery of nonparties;

(iv) Whether depositions are anticipated and the appropriate limits on the taking of such depositions, consistent with paragraph (e)(1) of this section, including the maximum number of depositions to be allowed;

(v) The anticipated timing of the production of any document identifying and describing privileged documents that a party intends to redact or withhold from production; and

(vi) Provisions regarding any inadvertent disclosure of privileged information.

(2) The Joint Discovery Plan must comply with the provisions of this section and § 308.24.

(3) The parties must submit their proposed Joint Discovery Plan to the ALJ for review, modification, and/or approval. In the event the parties cannot agree to some or all of the provisions, the parties must file their respective proposals with the ALJ for resolution. After review, the ALJ must issue an approved Joint Discovery Plan, which must include any modifications made by the ALJ.

(c) Document and electronically stored information (ESI) discovery—(1) Scope of document discovery. Parties to proceedings set forth at § 308.1 and as provided in the Local Rules may obtain discovery through the production of documents and ESI.

(2) Depositions to determine completeness of document production. Any counsel is permitted to depose a person producing documents or ESI pursuant to a document subpoena on the strictly limited topics of the identification of documents and ESI produced by that person, and a reasonable examination to determine whether the subpoenaed person made an adequate search for, and has produced, all subpoenaed documents and ESI.

(3) Specific limitations on ESI discovery. A party need not provide discovery of ESI from sources that the party identifies as not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. On motion to compel discovery or for a protective order, the party from whom discovery is sought must show that the information is not reasonably accessible because of undue burden or cost. If that showing is made, the ALJ may nonetheless order discovery from such sources if the requesting party shows good cause. The ALJ may specify conditions for the discovery.

(4) Request for production. Consistent with the Joint Discovery Plan, a party may serve on any other party a request to produce documents, and permit the requesting party or its representative to inspect, copy, test, or sample documents in the responding party's possession, custody, or control.

(5) Privilege. Consistent with § 308.25(e) and the Joint Discovery Plan, and prior to the close of the discovery period set by the ALJ, the producing party must reasonably identify all documents withheld or redacted on the grounds of privilege and must produce a statement of the basis for the assertion of privilege.

(6) Document subpoenas to nonparties. (i) The provisions of § 308.26 apply to document subpoenas to nonparties. Any requests for nonparty subpoenas must comply with § 308.24(b) and the Joint Discovery Plan.

(ii) If the ALJ determines that the application does not set forth a valid basis for the issuance of the subpoena, or that it does not otherwise comply with § 308.24(b) or the Joint Discovery Plan, the ALJ may refuse to issue the subpoena or may issue it in a modified form upon such conditions as may be consistent with the Uniform Rules and the Local Rules.

(d) Expert witness disclosures. (1) Required elements. When expert witness disclosures are required, the disclosures must include: name, mailing address, and electronic mail address of each expert witness:

(i) If the expert is one retained or specially employed to provide expert testimony in the matter, or one whose duties as the party's employee regularly involve giving expert testimony, the witness must provide a written report in compliance with paragraph (d)(2)(i) of this section.

(ii) If the expert is an employee of a party who does not regularly provide expert testimony, including a commissioned bank examiner employed by the FDIC, the witness must provide written disclosures in compliance with paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section.

(2) Disclosure of expert testimony—(i) Witnesses who must provide written report. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the ALJ, experts described in paragraph (d)(1)(i) of this section must prepare a signed expert report that contains:

(A) A complete statement of all opinions the witness will express and the basis and reasons for them;

(B) The facts or data considered by the witness in forming the opinions;

(C) Any exhibits that will be used to summarize or support the opinions;

(D) The witness' qualifications, including a list of all publications authored in the previous 10 years;

(E) A list of all other cases in which, during the previous 4 years, the witness testified as an expert at trial or by deposition; and

(F) A statement of the compensation to be paid for the study and testimony in the case.

(ii) Witnesses who provide written disclosures instead of a written report. Unless otherwise stipulated or ordered by the ALJ, expert witnesses described in paragraph (d)(1)(ii) of this section are not required to provide a written report, but must provide written disclosures that state:

(A) The subject matter on which the witness is expected to present evidence; and

(B) A summary of the facts and opinions to which the witness is expected to testify.

(e) Depositions—(1) In general. In addition to paragraph (c)(2) of this section, and subject to the provisions of § 308.24 and paragraph (a) of this section, a party may take depositions of individuals with direct knowledge of facts relevant to the proceeding and individuals designated as an expert under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, where the evidence sought cannot be obtained from some other source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive. Absent exceptional circumstances, depositions will only be permitted of individuals expected to testify at the hearing, including experts.

(i) Limits on depositions. Unless otherwise stipulated by the parties, depositions are only permitted to the extent ordered by the ALJ upon a showing of good cause.

(ii) Privileged matters. Privileged matters are not discoverable by deposition. Privileges include those set forth in § 308.24(c).

(iii) Report. A party must produce any disclosure required by paragraph (d)(2) of this section before the deposition of the witness required to provide such disclosure. Unless otherwise provided by the ALJ, the party must produce this report at least 20 days prior to any deposition of the witness.

(2) Notice. A party desiring to take a deposition must give reasonable notice in writing to the deponent and to every other party to the proceeding. The notice must state the time, manner, and place for taking the deposition, and the name and address of the person to be deposed.

(i) Location. A deposition notice may require the witness to be deposed at any place within a State, territory, or possession of the United States or the District of Columbia in which that witness resides or has a regular place of employment, or such other convenient place as agreed by the parties and the witness.

(ii) Remote participation. The parties may stipulate, or the ALJ may order, that a deposition be taken by telephone or other remote means.

(iii) Deposition subpoenas. A deponent's attendance may be compelled by subpoena.

(A) Issuance. At the request of a party, the ALJ will issue a subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness at a deposition under this paragraph (e) unless the ALJ determines that the requested subpoena is outside the scope of paragraph (e)(1) of this section.

(B) Service. The party requesting the subpoena must serve it on the person named therein, or on that person's counsel, by any of the methods identified in § 308.11(d). The party serving the subpoena must file proof of service with the ALJ, unless the ALJ issues an order indicating the filing of proof of service is not required.

(C) Objection to deposition subpoena. A motion to modify or quash a deposition subpoena must be in accordance with the procedures of § 308.27(b).

(D) Enforcement of deposition subpoena. Enforcement of a deposition subpoena must be in accordance with the procedures of § 308.27(c)(2) and (d).

(3) Time for taking depositions. A party may take depositions at any time after the issuance of the approved Joint Discovery Plan, but no later than 20 days before the scheduled hearing date, except with permission of the ALJ for good cause shown.

(4) Conduct of the deposition. The witness must be duly sworn. By stipulation of the parties or by order of the ALJ, a court reporter or other person authorized to administer an oath may administer the oath remotely without being in the physical presence of the deponent. Unless the parties otherwise agree, all objections to questions or exhibits must be in short form and must state the grounds for the objection. Failure to object to questions or exhibits is not a waiver except when the grounds for the objection might have been avoided if the objection had been timely presented.

(5) Duration. Unless otherwise stipulated by the parties or ordered by the ALJ, a deposition is limited to 1 day of 7 hours. The ALJ may, when it is consistent with § 308.24 and paragraph (a) of this section, order additional time if it is necessary to fairly examine the witness, including when any person or circumstance has impeded the examination.

(6) Recording the testimony—(i) Generally. The party taking the deposition must have a certified court reporter record the witness' testimony:

(A) By stenotype machine or electronic means, such as by sound or video recording device;

(B) Upon agreement of the parties, by any other method; or

(C) For good cause and with leave of the ALJ, by any other method.

(ii) Cost. The party taking the deposition must bear the cost of recording and transcribing the witness' testimony.

(iii) Transcript. The court reporter must provide a transcript of the witness' testimony to the party taking the deposition and must make a copy of the transcript available to each party upon payment by that party of the cost of the copy. The transcript must be subscribed or certified in accordance with § 308.27(c)(3).

(f) Discovery motions—(1) Motions to limit discovery. In addition to § 308.25(d), upon a motion by a party or on the ALJ's own motion, the ALJ must limit the frequency or extent of discovery otherwise allowed by this subpart if the ALJ determines that:

(i) The discovery sought is unreasonably cumulative or duplicative or can be obtained from some other source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive;

(ii) Involves privileged, irrelevant, or immaterial matters;

(iii) The party seeking discovery has already had ample opportunity to obtain the information by discovery in the action; or

(iv) The proposed discovery is outside the scope of this section or § 308.24.

(2) Motions to terminate depositions. 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. Upon such a motion, the ALJ may order that the deposition be terminated or may limit its scope and manner. If terminated, the deposition may be resumed only by order of the ALJ.

(3) Motions to compel discovery. The provisions of § 308.25(f) apply to any motion to compel discovery.