§ 351.5 - Discovery in royalty rate proceedings.

§ 351.5 Discovery in royalty rate proceedings.

(a) Schedule. Following the submission to the Copyright Royalty Judges of written direct and rebuttal statements by the participants in a royalty rate proceeding, and after conferring with the participants, the Copyright Royalty Judges will issue a discovery schedule.

(b) Document production, depositions and interrogatories -

(1) Document production. A participant in a royalty rate proceeding may request of an opposing participant nonprivileged documents that are directly related to the written direct statement or written rebuttal statement of that participant. Broad, nonspecific discovery requests are not acceptable. All documents offered in response to a discovery request must be furnished in as organized and useable form as possible. Any objection to a request for production shall be resolved by a motion or request to compel production. The motion must include a statement that the parties had conferred and were unable to resolve the matter.

(2) Depositions and interrogatories. In a proceeding to determine royalty rates, the participants entitled to receive royalties shall collectively be permitted to take no more than 10 depositions and secure responses to no more than 25 interrogatories. Similarly, the participants obligated to pay royalties shall collectively be permitted to take no more than 10 depositions and secure responses to no more than 25 interrogatories. Parties may obtain such discovery regarding any matter, not privileged, that is relevant to the claim or defense of any party. Relevant information need not be admissible at hearing if the discovery by means of depositions and interrogatories appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.

(c) Motions to request other relevant information and materials.

(1) In any royalty rate proceeding scheduled to commence prior to January 1, 2011, a participant may, by means of written or oral motion on the record, request of an opposing participant or witness other relevant information and materials. The Copyright Royalty Judges will allow such request only if they determine that, absent the discovery sought, their ability to achieve a just resolution of the proceeding would be substantially impaired.

(2) In determining whether such discovery motions will be granted, the Copyright Royalty Judges may consider -

(i) Whether the burden or expense of producing the requested information or materials outweighs the likely benefit, taking into account the needs and resources of the participants, the importance of the issues at stake, and the probative value of the requested information or materials in resolving such issues;

(ii) Whether the requested information or materials would be unreasonably cumulative or duplicative, or are obtainable from another source that is more convenient, less burdensome, or less expensive; and

(iii) Whether the participant seeking the discovery had an ample opportunity by discovery in the proceeding or by other means to obtain the information sought.

[71 FR 53328, Sept. 11, 2006]