24 CFR § 3800.50 - Rights of witnesses in investigational proceedings.

§ 3800.50 Rights of witnesses in investigational proceedings.

(a) Any person who testifies at a public investigational proceeding shall be entitled, on payment of costs, to purchase a copy of a transcript of the testimony the person provided.

(b) In a nonpublic investigational proceeding, the presiding official may for good cause limit a witness to an inspection of the official transcript of that witness's testimony.

(c) Any person subpoenaed to appear at an investigational proceeding may be represented by counsel as follows:

(1) With respect to any question asked of a witness, a witness may obtain confidential advice from counsel;

(2) If a witness refuses to answer a question, counsel for the witness may briefly state the legal grounds for the refusal;

(3) Counsel for the witness may object to a question or a request for production of documents that is beyond the scope of the investigation or for which a privilege of the witness to refuse to answer may be invoked. In so doing, counsel for the witness may state briefly the grounds for the objection. Objections will be deemed continuing throughout the course of the proceeding. Repetitious or cumulative statements of an objection or the grounds for an objection are unnecessary and impermissible; and

(4) After the Department's examination of a witness, counsel for the witness may request that the witness be permitted to clarify any answers to correct any ambiguity, equivocation, or incompleteness in the witness's testimony. The decision to grant or deny this request is within the sole discretion of the presiding official.