Production or Disclosure in Response to Subpoenas or Demands of Courts or Other Authorities

10 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart D
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

10 C.F.R. § 9.200 Scope of subpart.

(a) This subpart sets forth the procedures to be followed when a subpoena, order, or other demand (hereinafter referred to as a “demand”) for the production of NRC records or disclosure of NRC information, including testimony regarding such records, is issued by a court or other judicial or quasi-judicial authority in a proceeding, excluding Federal grand jury proceedings, to which the NRC is not a party. Information and documents subject to this subpart include: (1) Any material contained in the files of the NRC; (2) Any information relating to material contained in the files of the NRC. (b) For purposes of this subpart, the term “employee of the NRC” includes all NRC personnel as that term is defined in § 9.3 of this part, including NRC contractors. (c) This subpart is intended to provide instructions regarding the internal operations of the NRC and is not intended, and does not, and may not, be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law by a party against the NRC.

10 C.F.R. § 9.201 Production or disclosure prohibited unless approved by appropriate NRC official.

(a) No employee of the NRC shall, in response to a demand of a court or other judicial or quasi-judicial authority, produce any material contained in the files of the NRC or disclose, through testimony or other means, any information relating to material contained in the files of the NRC, or disclose any information or produce any material acquired as part of the performance of that employee's official duties or official status without prior approval of the appropriate NRC official. When the demand is for material contained in the files of the Office of the Inspector General or for information acquired by an employee of that Office, the Inspector General is the appropriate NRC official. In all other cases, the General Counsel is the appropriate NRC official. (b) Any NRC response to a demand of a court or other judicial or quasi-judicial authority that requires an employee of the NRC to expend more than 50 hours of official time shall be subject to hourly fees in accordance with 10 CFR 170.12(d).

10 C.F.R. § 9.202 Procedure in the event of a demand for production or disclosure.

(a) Prior to or simultaneous with a demand upon an employee of the NRC for the production of material or the disclosure of information described in § 9.200, the party seeking production or disclosure shall serve the General Counsel of the NRC with an affidavit or statement as described in paragraphs (b) (1) and (2) of this section. Except for employees in the Office of Inspector General, whenever a demand is made upon an employee of the NRC for the production of material or the disclosure of information described in § 9.200, that employee shall immediately notify the General Counsel. If the demand is made upon a regional NRC employee, that employee shall immediately notify the Regional Counsel who, in turn, shall immediately request instructions from the General Counsel. If the demand is made upon an employee in the Office of Inspector General, that employee shall immediately notify the Inspector General. The Inspector General shall immediately provide a copy of the demand to the General Counsel, and as deemed necessary, consult with the General Counsel. (b)(1) If oral testimony is sought by the demand, a summary of the testimony desired must be furnished to the General Counsel by a detailed affidavit or, if that is not feasible, a detailed statement by the party seeking the testimony or the party's attorney. This requirement may be waived by the General Counsel in appropriate circumstances. (2) The General Counsel may request a plan from the party seeking discovery of all demands then reasonably foreseeable, including but not limited to, names of all NRC personnel from whom discovery is or will be sought, areas of inquiry, length of time away from duty involved, and identification of documents to be used in each deposition, where appropriate. (c) The Inspector General or the General Counsel will notify the employee and such other persons, as circumstances may warrant, of the decision on the matter.

10 C.F.R. § 9.203 Procedure where response to demand is required prior to receiving instructions.

If a response to the demand is required before the instructions from the Inspector General or the General Counsel are received, a U.S. attorney or NRC attorney designated for the purpose shall appear with the employee of the NRC upon whom the demand has been made, and shall furnish the court or other authority with a copy of the regulations contained in this subpart and inform the court or other authority that the demand has been, or is being, as the case may be, referred for the prompt consideration of the appropriate NRC official and shall respectfully request the court or authority to stay the demand pending receipt of the requested instructions. In the event that an immediate demand for production or disclosure is made in circumstances which would preclude the proper designation or appearance of a U.S. or NRC attorney on the employee's behalf, the employee shall respectfully request the demanding authority for sufficient time to obtain advice of counsel.

10 C.F.R. § 9.204 Procedure in the event of an adverse ruling.

If the court or other judicial or quasi-judicial authority declines to stay the effect of the demand in response to a request made in accordance with § 9.203 pending receipt of instructions, or if the court or other authority rules that the demand must be complied with irrespective of instructions not to produce the material or disclose the information sought, the employee upon whom the demand has been made shall respectfully decline to comply with the demand, citing these regulations and United States ex rel. Touhy v. Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951).

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