33 CFR § 20.1202 - Filing of pleadings.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t33/s20.1202"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "33 CFR § 20.1202 - Filing of pleadings."
title_number: 33
title_name: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
section_number: "20.1202"
section_name: "Filing of pleadings."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "20"
part_name: "RULES OF PRACTICE, PROCEDURE, AND EVIDENCE FOR FORMAL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDINGS OF THE COAST GUARD"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "33 U.S.C. 1321; 42 U.S.C. 9609; 46 U.S.C. 7701, 7702; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1, para. 2(73)."
regulatory_source: "CGD 98-3472, 64 FR 28062, May 24, 1999, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "20"
---


# 20.1202 Filing of pleadings.

(a) *Complaint.* If the Coast Guard has temporarily suspended a merchant mariner's credential, license, certificate of registry, or document, it shall immediately file a complaint under § 20.307. The complaint must contain both a copy of a notice of temporary suspension and an affidavit stating the authority and reason for temporary suspension.

(b) *Answer.* In a case under this subpart—

(1) § 20.308 does not govern answers, and

(2) The respondent shall therefore enter his or her answer at the pre-hearing conference.

[CGD 98-3472, 64 FR 28062, May 24, 1999, as amended by USCG-2006-24371, 74 FR 11211, Mar. 16, 2009]