---
kind: "section"
citation: "12 C.F.R. § 308.523"
title: "12"
number: "308.523"
heading: "Protective order."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/12/308.523"
---

# §308.523. Protective order.

- (a) A party or a prospective witness or deponent may file a motion for a protective order with respect to discovery sought by an opposing party or with respect to the hearing, seeking to limit the availability or disclosure of evidence.
- (b) In issuing a protective order, the ALJ may make any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression, or undue burden or expense, including one or more of the following:
  - (1) That the discovery will not be conducted;
  - (2) That the discovery will be conducted only on specified terms and conditions, including a designation of the time or place;
  - (3) That the discovery will be conducted only through a method of discovery other than that requested;
  - (4) That certain matters not be inquired into, or that the scope of discovery be limited to certain matters;
  - (5) That discovery be conducted with no one present except persons designated by the ALJ;
  - (6) That the contents of discovery or evidence be sealed or otherwise kept confidential;
  - (7) That a deposition after being sealed be opened only by order of the ALJ;
  - (8) That a trade secret or other confidential research, development, commercial information, or facts pertaining to any criminal investigation, proceeding, or other administrative investigation not be disclosed or be disclosed only in a designated way; or
  - (9) That the parties simultaneously file specified documents or information enclosed in sealed envelopes to be opened as directed by the ALJ.

## Notes

### Source

Source: 66 FR 9189, Feb. 7, 2001, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504, 554-557; 12 U.S.C. 93(b), 164, 505, 1464, 1467(d), 1467a, 1468, 1815(e), 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820, 1828, 1829, 1829(b), 1831i, 1831m(g)(4), 1831 o, 1831p-1, 1832(c), 1884(b), 1972, 3102, 3108(a), 3349, 3909, 4717, 5412(b)(2)(C), 5414(b)(3); 15 U.S.C. 78(h) and (i), 78 o (c)(4), 78 o -4(c), 78 o -5, 78q-1, 78s, 78u, 78u-2, 78u-3, 78w, 6801(b), 6805(b)(1); 28 U.S.C. 2461 note; 31 U.S.C. 330, 5321; 42 U.S.C. 4012a; Pub. L. 104-134, sec. 31001(s), 110 Stat. 1321; Pub. L. 109-351, 120 Stat. 1966; Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376; Pub. L. 114-74, sec. 701, 129 Stat. 584.

### Source

Source: 56 FR 37975, Aug. 9, 1991, unless otherwise noted.