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Washington Administrative Code (Last Updated: November 23, 2016) |
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Title 480. Utilities and Transportation Commission |
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Chapter 480-07. Procedural rules. |
Section 480-07-405. Discovery—Data requests, record requisitions, and bench requests.
Latest version.
- (1) Grouping and numbering.(a) Grouping. Parties must group their data requests by subject or witness and present data requests in an electronic format agreed upon by the parties whenever possible, unless the parties agree to a different procedure or the presiding officer orders a different procedure. Requests not presented in electronic format must include no more than one request per page. Parties with similar interests are encouraged, and may be required, to coordinate their issuance of data requests to avoid duplication.(b) Numbering. Each party must number sequentially its data requests, as submitted. The presiding officer will ensure that record requisitions and bench requests are adequately described on the record and consecutively numbered.(2) Service of data requests, records requisitions, and responses to parties.(a) Written data requests must be sent to the party to whom the request is made, with copies to all other parties. The commission staff copy must be sent to the assistant attorney general who represents the commission staff. The commission encourages parties to agree to exchange data in electronic format by e-mail, on diskette, or by other mutually acceptable electronic means.(b) If parties agree to the service of data requests and responses to requests by e-mail, the party serving the data requests or responses must serve copies electronically on all parties, including the assistant attorney general who represents the commission staff.(c) Except when appropriate for other purposes, parties must not file data requests or responses to data requests with the commission, or provide them to any person who is presiding or advising the presiding officer. Responses that are later offered in evidence must be distributed as required for other proposed exhibits.(3) Motion to compel. A party's motion to compel must include the relevant data request, any objection, and any response.(4) Limitation on numbers of data requests. The presiding officer may limit the number of data requests that a party may submit and may require parties to certify that they have coordinated discovery with other parties of similar interest and that no substantial duplication exists with other parties' submissions.(5) Responding party to seek clarification. If a party to whom a data request is submitted finds the meaning or scope of a request unclear, the responding party must immediately contact the requesting party for clarification. Lack of clarity is not a basis for objection to a data request unless the responding party has made a good faith effort to obtain clarification.(6) Objections; consequence of failure to object.(a) Data request. A party who wishes to object to a data request must present the objection to the requesting party in writing by the time the response is due, or at such other time as may be ordered. A party objecting to a data request must state the objection and explain the basis for the objection. A party who fails to interpose a timely objection to providing a full response to a data request waives any right to object for purposes of discovery and must provide a full response. A party who fails to make an objection when responding to data requests does not lose the opportunity to raise an objection at hearing if another party seeks to introduce as evidence all or part of the party's response to a data request.(b) Records requisition. A party to whom a record requisition is addressed may object to the request at the time it is made or, if it later discovers a reason for objection not reasonably known at the time of the record requisition, within five days after discovering the reason. A party may object to the admission of its response to a records requisition at the time the response is offered into evidence.(c) Bench request. Any party may object to the issuance of, or response to, a bench request. A party may object at the time the bench request is made, or if made in writing or the party later discovers a reason for an objection not reasonably known at the time the bench request was made in hearing, within five days after discovery. A party may raise an objection based on the content of a bench request response within five days after distribution of the response. Responses to bench requests will be received in evidence unless a party objects to the bench request or response, or the commission rejects the response.(7) Responses.(a) Data requests and record requisitions. Parties must serve responses to data requests and record requisitions on the requesting party and on any other party who requests a copy, consistent with the terms of any protective order entered in the proceeding. Parties must send the commission staff copy to the assistant attorney general who represents the commission staff unless the attorney requests an alternative method. Parties may agree to serve responses to data requests and record requisitions through e-mail.(b) Timing. A party to whom a data request is directed must provide a full response to the data request within ten business days after the request is received. If the data cannot be supplied within ten business days, the responding party must give written notice to the requesting party no later than two business days before the response is due. The notice must state why the ten-day limit cannot be met. The responding party must also provide a schedule by which it will produce the requested data and must explain why any portion of the data cannot be supplied. The presiding officer may modify these time limits.(c) Identification of respondent and witness. Each data response must state the date the response is produced, the name of the person who prepared the response, and the name of any witness who is knowledgeable about and can respond to questions concerning the response.(d) Bench requests. Parties must file responses to bench requests with the commission and serve all parties within ten business days after the request is made, unless the presiding officer specifies another schedule.(8) Supplementation. Parties must immediately supplement any response to a data request, record requisition, or bench request upon learning that the prior response was incorrect or incomplete when made or upon learning that a response, correct and complete when made, is no longer correct or complete.(9) Use of responses to data requests, record requisitions or bench requests. The commission will not consider or treat as evidence any response to a data request, record requisition, or bench request unless and until it is entered into the record.