28 Tex. Admin. Code § 148.11 - Commissions to Compel Attendance for Deposition

(a) Issuance of Commission Requiring Deposition. A request for issuance of a commission requiring deposition must be directed to the Chief Clerk of Proceedings in the division's central office. On the written request of any party in compliance with the requirements set forth below, the division must issue a commission addressed to the several officers authorized by statute to take depositions in accordance with the requirements of Government Code § 2001.094. On the written request of any party in compliance with the requirements set forth below the Chief Clerk of Proceedings shall issue a commission to require that the witness appear and produce, at the time the deposition is taken, books, records, papers, or other objects that may be necessary and proper for the purpose of the proceeding.

(b) Commission Not Required for a Party. The issuance of a commission requiring deposition is not required if the witness is a party or is retained by, employed by, or otherwise subject to the control of a party. Service of the notice of oral deposition upon the party or the party's representative is sufficient.

(c) Deposition of a Member of an Agency, Board, or Division. A member of an agency, board, or division shall not be deposed after a hearing date has been set.

(d) Requests for Commissions Requiring Deposition. A request for a commission requiring deposition must be in writing addressed to the Chief Clerk of Proceedings and comply with the following:

(1) The request must include the commission requiring deposition sought to be issued prepared for the signature of the Chief Clerk of Proceedings.

(2) The commission requiring deposition must be addressed to an officer authorized by statute to take a deposition in accordance with Government Code § 2001.094. The request must contain the name and address of the applicable officer authorized to take the deposition, the date, time and place where either the witness is to appear and give testimony or where the written deposition responses are to be sent, a detailed description of any items the witness will be required to produce, and a statement showing date of execution and return of the commission requiring deposition to the Chief Clerk of Proceedings.

(3) The request must include a good faith itemized estimate of the amount likely to accrue under § 148.20 of this title (relating to Reimbursement, Travel Expenses, and Fees for Witnesses and Deponents) and include a deposit of the same amount as required by Government Code § 2001.094(a). The deposit must be made by certified check, money order, or other negotiable instrument satisfactory to the division.

(4) The party seeking the commission requiring deposition shall coordinate with the other party or parties and with the witness to determine a mutually agreeable location and time for the attendance of the witness. The request for commission requiring deposition must state whether such coordination has been made and whether the proposed location and time is by mutual agreement of the parties and witness.

(5) The party seeking the commission requiring deposition that includes a requirement for production should coordinate with the other party or parties, and with the person from whom production is sought, to determine a mutually agreeable location and time for the requested production. The request for the commission requiring deposition must state whether such coordination has been made and whether the proposed location and time is by mutual agreement with the parties and the person from whom production is sought.

(e) Application of the APA. Matters related to deposition conduct, use, opening, and any other matters relating to depositions not covered by these rules shall be in accordance with the requirements of the APA.

(f) Failure to Comply with Commission Requiring Deposition. If a person fails to comply with a commission requiring deposition, the division acting through the attorney general, or the party requesting the subpoena or commission, may bring suit to enforce the subpoena or commission in a district court in Travis County. This remedy is not exclusive. The division may enforce the subpoena or commission requiring deposition in any manner permitted by the Act, the APA, or division rules.

Notes

28 Tex. Admin. Code § 148.11

The provisions of this §148.11 adopted to be effective June 9, 2005, 30 TexReg 3237; amended to be effective July 27, 2014, 39 TexReg 5608