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UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION
`
`Washington, D.C.
`
` In the Matter of
`
`CERTAIN AUDIO PROCESSING
`
`Inv. N0. 337-TA-1026
`
`HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, AND
`PRODUCTS CONTAINING THE SAME
`
`'
`
`-
`
`ORDER NO. 51:
`
`GRANTING MOTION OF NON-PARTY LIBBIE NICHOLSON TO
`
`QUASH SUBPOENA
`
`(August 8, 2017)
`
`On August 2, 2017, non—party Libbie Nicholson filed a motion to quash a subpoena ad
`
`testificandum served upon her by Complainant Andrea Electronics Corp. (“Andrea”) (Motion
`
`Docket No. 1026—056). Filed with the motion were a memorandum in support, a declaration by
`
`Ms. Nicholson, and a declaration by an attorney, Keith Slenkovich, attaching three exhibits. The
`
`deadline for responses was shortened pursuant to Order No. 48 (Aug. 3, 2017), and Andrea filed
`a response in opposition on August 7, 2017.
`‘
`
`Ms. Nicholson was deposed in this investigation on April 6, 2017, pursuant to a subpoena
`served by Andrea on her employer, Integrated Device Technology (“IDT”). See Mot. Ex. _C.1
`
`On July 10, 2017, Andrea served a trial subpoena on Ms. Nicholson to testify at the hearing in
`
`this investigation. Mot. EX. A. The deadline for filing a motion to quash or limit that subpoena
`
`was extended pursuant to Order No. 45 (July 24, 2017).
`
`Ms. Nicholson submits that it would be burdensome for her to travel to attend the hearing
`
`in this investigation. Nicholson Decl. at W 2, 4. She argues that any relevant evidence has been
`
`1 Ms. Nicholson was also deposed in response to a subpoena from Andrea in an earlier.
`investigation, Inv. No. 337-TA-949. See Mot. EX. B.
`
`

`

`‘ provided in her depositiontestimony, and it is therefore unnecessary for her to appear at the
`
`1 hearing. Mot. Mem. at 5-6.2 Andrea submits that Ms. Nicholson’s testimony is relevant to
`
`secondary considerations of non-obviousness. Andrea Opp. at 2. Andrea agrees with
`
`Ms. Nicholson that admitting her prior deposition testimony would be preferable, but Andrea did
`
`not make any such designations by the deadline for exchanging proposed direct exhibits—
`
`deposition designations would now be Considered untimely under the Ground Rules. Id. at 2-4;
`
`see Order No. 2 at 22-, Ground Rule 9.4.14.2 (“Each designated transcript shall be assigned an ‘
`
`exhibit number and shall be exchanged by the offering party at the same time as direct witness
`
`statements”).
`
`In these circumstances, it is appropriate to quash the subpoena and admit
`
`Ms. Nicholson’s deposition transcript in lieu of her live testimony at the hearing. The factual
`
`basis for Ms. Nicholson’s testimony does not appear to be contested, and her testimony is only
`
`relevant to the. issue of secondary considerations of non-obviousness. See Respondents’ Pre-
`
`Hearing Brief at 403. Both Andrea and Ms. Nicholson agree that deposition designations are
`
`preferable to live testimony, and Ms. Nicholson has shown that there would be significant
`
`hardship for her to travel to the hearing.
`
`-Allowing Andrea to designate Ms. Nicholson’s deposition testimony only two weeks
`
`before the hearing is contrary to the {Procedural Schedule and Ground Rule 9.4.14.2, but
`
`admitting the transcript is preferable to compelling her attendance at the hearing. A third party
`should notbe burdened because ofAndrea’s failure to comply with the. Ground Rules. Because
`
`the subpoena is quashed, her deposition transcript is admissible pursuant to Commission Rule
`
`210.28(h)(3)(iv), and Andrea shall be allowed to serve deposition designations out of time.
`
`
`2 Ms. Nicholson also raises an argument about the proper service of the subpoena, Mot. Mem. at
`4—5, but Ms. Nicholson acknowledged in her motion for an extension of time that her counsel
`was served, and any prejudice was alleviated by the extension of time. See Order No. 45.
`
`

`

`For the reasons discussed above, Motion Docket No. 1026—056 is hereby GRANTED.
`
`The subpoena to Ms. Nicholson is hereby quashed, and Andrea is granted leave to serve
`designations ofMs. Nicholson’s deposition transcript in this investigation no later than Friday,
`
`August 11, 2017.3 Respondents will be allowed to make counter-designations and may raise
`
`objections to Andrea’s designations by filing supplemental objections no later than Tuesday,
`
`August 15, 2017.
`
`SO ORDERED.
`
`QC):
`Dee Lord
`
`Administrative Law Judge
`
`
`
`3 To mitigate the prejudice to Respondents, Andrea will not be allowed to designate the transcript
`of Ms. Nicholson’s deposition from Inv. No. 337-TA-949, where Respondents were not
`repreSented.
`
`'
`
`

`

`CERTAIN AUDIO PROCESSING HARDWARE,
`
`Inv. No. 337-TA-1026
`
`SOFTWARE, AND PRODUCTS CONTAINING THE SAME
`
`PUBLIC CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
`
`1, Lisa R. Barton, hereby certify that the attached ORDER has been served by hand upon
`the Commission Investigative Attorney, Whitney Winston, Esq., and the following parties as
`indicated, on 8/8/2017 *
`
`
`
`
`Lisa R. arton, Secretary
`US. International Trade Commission
`
`r
`gun—"w am
`
`I‘
`
`i ,
`/
`“Mm 11.-.. .,_..W a»
`
`w.
`
`-~
`
`500 E Street, SW, Room 112
`Washington, DC 20436
`
`On Behalf of Complainants Andrea Electronics Corp.:
`
`Goutam Patnaik, Esq.
`PEPPER HAMILTON LLP
`600 Fourteenth Street, NW.
`Washington, DC 20005-2004
`
`1:] Via Hand Delivery
`1:] Via Express Delivery
`Via First Class Mail
`’D Other.
`
`‘
`
`On Behalf of Respondents Samsung Electronics C0., Ltd. and Samsung Electronics
`America, Inc.:
`
`Maureen F. Browne
`COVINGTON & BURLING LLP
`One CityCenter, 850 Tenth Street, NW
`Washington, DC 200001—4956
`
`On Behalf of Respondent Apple Inc.:
`
`Ching-Lee Fukuda
`SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP
`787 Seventh Avenue
`New York, NY 10019 I
`
`I
`
`,
`
`.
`
`' C] Via Hand Delivery '
`E] Via Express Delivery
`E Via First Class Mail
`D Other.
`
`'
`
`[3 Via Hand Delivery
`1:] Via Express Delivery
`E Via First Class Mail
`[:1 Other;
`
`

`

`CERTAIN AUDIO PROCESSING HARDWARE,
`
`Inv. N0. 337-TA-1026
`
`SOFTWARE, AND PRODUCTS CONTAINING THE SAME
`
`'
`
`Certificate of Service — Page 2
`
`On Behalf of Non-Parfl Libbie Nicholson:
`
`Keith Slenkovich
`.WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE AND DORR, LLP
`950 Page M111 Road
`Palo Alto, CA 94304
`
`CI Via Hand Delivery
`[j Via Express Delivery
`@Via First Class Mail
`D Other:
`
`

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