49 CFR § 511.21 - Prehearing conferences.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s511.21"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 511.21 - Prehearing conferences."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "511.21"
section_name: "Prehearing conferences."
chapter_name: "NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "511"
part_name: "ADJUDICATIVE PROCEDURES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "15 U.S.C. 2002; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50."
regulatory_source: "45 FR 81578, Dec. 11, 1980, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "511"
---


# 511.21 Prehearing conferences.

(a) *When held.* (1) A prehearing conference shall be held in person or by conference telephone call, except in unusual circumstances, approximately fifty (50) days after publication in the *Federal Register* of the complaint, upon ten (10) days notice to all parties and participants, to consider any or all the following:

(i) Motions for consolidation of proceedings;

(ii) Identification, simplification and clarification of the issues;

(iii) Necessity or desirability of amending the pleadings;

(iv) Stipulations and admissions of fact and of the content and authenticity of documents;

(v) Oppositions to notices of oral examination;

(vi) Motions for protective orders to limit or modify discovery;

(vii) Issuance of subpoenas to compel the appearance of witnesses and the production of documents;

(viii) Limitation of the number of witnesses, particularly the avoidance of duplicate expert witnesses;

(ix) Matters of which official notice will be taken and matters which may be resolved by reliance upon findings of other Federal agencies; and

(x) Other matters which may expedite the conduct of the hearing.