[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 15, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 15CFR15.12]

[Page 165]
 
                  TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADE
 
PART 15--LEGAL PROCEEDINGS--Table of Contents
 
  Subpart B--Testimony by Employees and the Production of Documents in 
                            Legal Proceedings
 
Sec. 15.12  Definitions.

    For the purpose of this subpart:
    (a) Agency counsel means the chief legal officer (or his/her 
designee) of an agency within the Department of Commerce.
    (b) Component means Office of the Secretary or an operating unit of 
the Department as defined in Department Organization Order 1-1.
    (c) Demand means a request, order, or subpoena for testimony or 
documents for use in a legal proceeding.
    (d) Department means the United States Department of Commerce and 
its constituent agencies.
    (e) Document means any record, paper and other property held by the 
Department, including without limitation, official letters, telegrams, 
memoranda, reports, studies, calendar and diary entries, maps, graphs, 
pamphlets, notes, charts, tabulations, analyses, statistical or 
informational accumulations, any kind of summaries of meetings and 
conversations, film impressions, magnetic tapes and sound or mechanical 
reproductions.
    (f) Employee means all current or former employees or officers of 
the Department, including commissioned officers of the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration and any other individual who has been 
appointed by, or subject to the supervision, jurisdiction or control of 
the Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
    (g) General Counsel means the General Counsel of the Department or 
other Department employee to whom the General Counsel has delegated 
authority to act under this subpart.
    (h) Legal proceeding means all pretrial, trial and post trial stages 
of all existing or reasonably anticipated judicial or administrative 
actions, hearings, investigations, or similar proceedings before courts, 
commissions, boards or other tribunals, foreign or domestic. This phrase 
includes all phases of discovery as well as responses to formal or 
informal requests by attorneys or others involved in legal proceedings.
    (i) Official business means the authorized business of the 
Department.
    (j) Secretary means the Secretary of the Department of Commerce.
    (k) Solicitor means the Solicitor of the Patent and Trademark 
Office.
    (l) Testimony means a statement in any form, including personal 
appearances before a court or other legal tribunal, interviews, 
depositions, telephonic, televised, or videotaped statements or any 
responses given during discovery or similar proceedings, which response 
would involve more than the production of documents.
    (m) United States means the Federal Government, its departments and 
agencies, and individuals acting on behalf of the Federal Government.