What is the procedure for serving a subpoena?

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§ 148.252 What is the procedure for serving a subpoena?

(a) A party may submit a request for a subpoena to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). The request must show the relevance and scope of the evidence sought.

(b) Requests should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the hearing so that exhibits and witnesses can be included in the lists required by § 20.601 of this chapter, but may be submitted later and before the end of the hearing, if good cause is shown for the late submission.

(c) A request for a subpoena must be submitted to the ALJ.

(d) A proposed subpoena, such as the form in https://www.uscg.mil/Resources/Administrative-Law-Judges/General-Suspension-and-Revocation-Information/Subpoena-Information/ must be submitted with the request. If you do not use this form, the proposed subpoena must contain:

(1) The docket number of the proceedings;

(2) The captions “Department of Homeland Security,” “Coast Guard,” and “Licensing of deepwater port for coastal waters off (insert name of the coastal State closest to the proposed deepwater port and the docket number of the proceeding)”;

(3) The name and the address of the office of the ALJ;

(4) For a subpoena giving testimony, a statement commanding the person to whom the subpoena is directed to attend the formal hearing and give testimony;

(5) For a subpoena producing documentary evidence, a statement commanding the person to produce designated documents, books, papers, or other tangible things at a designated time or place; and

(6) An explanation of the procedure in § 20.309(d) of this chapter and paragraph (h) of this section for quashing a subpoena.

(e) The procedure for serving a subpoena must follow Rule 45 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, unless the ALJ authorizes another procedure.

(f) The witness fees for a subpoenaed witness are the same as the fees for witnesses subpoenaed in U.S. District Courts. The person requesting the subpoena must pay these fees.

(g) When serving a subpoena, a party must include witness fees in the form of a check to the individual or organization for one day plus mileage, or, in the case of a government-issued subpoena, a form SF-1157 so a witness may receive fees and mileage reimbursement.

(h) Any person served with a subpoena has 10 days from the time of service to move to quash the subpoena.

(i) If a person does not comply with a subpoena, the ALJ decides whether judicial enforcement of the subpoena is necessary. If the ALJ decides it is, the Commandant (CG-5P) reviews this decision.

[USCG-1998-3884, 71 FR 57651, Sept. 29, 2006, as amended by USCG-2013-0397, 78 FR 39177, July 1, 2013; USCG-2020-0304, 85 FR 58279, Sept. 18, 2020]


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