Upon the filing of a complaint under Section 12960, 12961, or 12980:
(a) The department may issue and serve upon an individual, corporation, partnership, association, public entity, or other organization subpoenas to require the attendance and testimony of witnesses by deposition or otherwise, and in connection therewith, to require the production of books, records, documents, and physical materials in the possession of, or under the control of, the individual or organization named on the subpoena.
(b) A subpoena shall be served by delivering a copy of the subpoena to the individual named on the subpoena or to any person who would be eligible to receive service of summons on behalf of the individual or organization named on the subpoena, as provided in Sections 416.10 through 416.90 of the Code of Civil Procedure. A subpoena issued to a person, employer, labor organization, employment agency, or public entity alleged to have committed an unlawful practice in a complaint filed under Section 12960 or 12961 may also be delivered to the agent or representative who has responded to the department concerning the complaint on behalf of such person, employer, labor organization, employment agency, or public entity. The copy of the subpoena may be delivered by personal service, by substituted service in accordance with Section 415.20 of the Code of Civil Procedure, or by certified mail. The affidavit of the individual serving the subpoena setting forth the manner of such service, along with the return post office receipt in the case of mail service, shall be sufficient proof of such service.
(c) A subpoena for appearance and production of books, records, documents, and physical materials shall identify with reasonable particularity the things that are to be produced. The subpoena need not be accompanied by an affidavit showing good cause or the materiality of the things sought to be produced.
(d) A subpoena for appearance and testimony at a deposition or other proceeding issued to a corporation, partnership, association, public entity, or other organization shall state with reasonable particularity the matters on which testimony is sought. The organization served with such a subpoena shall have the obligation of producing as a witness one or more officers, directors, managing agents, or other individuals to testify on its behalf as to the matters specified in the subpoena.
(e) Service of a subpoena shall be made so as to allow the recipient of the subpoena a reasonable time for compliance. No individual named on a subpoena shall be obliged to attend as a witness before the department at a place out of the county in which that person resides, unless the distance is less than 150 miles from the individual’s place of residence or good cause appears why attendance of the witness at greater distance should be required. Each witness who has appeared pursuant to a subpoena shall, upon demand, be paid by the department the same fees and mileage allowed by law to witnesses in civil cases.
(Added by Stats, 1980, Ch. 1023.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018