Iowa Admin. Code r. 161—9 § 161—9.19
Conduct of oral deposition.
Operative Text
9.19(1) Examination; recording examination; administering the oath; objections. Examination of witnesses by the commission may proceed as permitted at the hearing. The commission investigator or other officer before whom the deposition is to be taken shall put the witness under oath and shall personally, or by someone acting under the investigator or officer’s direction and in the investigator or officer’s presence, record the testimony of the witness. The testimony shall be taken stenographically or recorded by any other means ordered in accordance with subrule 9.17(2). All objections made at the time of the examination to the qualifications of the investigator or other officer taking the deposition, or to the manner of taking it, or to the evidence presented, or to the conduct of any party, and any other objection to the proceedings, shall be noted by the investigator or officer upon the deposition. Evidence objected to shall be taken subject to the objections. 9.19(2) Motion to terminate or limit examination. At any time during the taking of the deposition, on motion of the party being deposed or other deponent and upon a showing that the examination is being conducted in bad faith or in such manner as unreasonably to annoy, embarrass, or oppress the deponent or party, the presiding officer for discovery may order the commission to cease forthwith from taking the deposition, or may limit the scope and manner of the taking of the deposition as provided in rule 161--9.8(216). If the order made terminates the examination, it shall be resumed thereafter only upon the order of the presiding officer for discovery. Upon demand of the objecting party or deponent, the taking of the deposition shall be suspended for the time necessary to make a motion for an order. If the motion is granted, the presiding officer for discovery shall, after opportunity for hearing, require the commission to pay to the moving party the reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining the order, including attorneys’ fees, unless the presiding officer for discovery finds that the opposition to the motion was substantially justified or that other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust. If the motion is denied, the presiding officer for discovery shall, after opportunity for hearing, require the moving party or the attorney advising the motion or both of them to pay to the commission the reasonable expenses incurred in opposing the motion, including attorneys’ fees, unless the presiding officer for discovery finds that the making of the motion was substantially justified or that other circumstances make an award of expenses unjust. If the motion is granted in part and denied in part, the presiding officer for discovery may apportion in a just manner the reasonable expenses incurred in relation to the motion.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 161—9 § 161—9.19 governs how oral depositions are conducted during Iowa Civil Rights Commission proceedings. A commission investigator or officer places the witness under oath, records testimony stenographically or by another approved method, and notes any objections on the record—while evidence subject to objection is still taken and preserved. Either party being deposed may move to stop or limit a deposition if it is being conducted in bad faith or in a way that unreasonably annoys, embarrasses, or oppresses the deponent, and the presiding officer for discovery may award or apportion reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, depending on how that motion is resolved.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 161—9 § 161—9.19, property owners or managers who are deposed in a commission investigation generally cooperate with the oath-taking and recording process administered by the commission investigator or officer. Compliant operators preserve their objections by stating them on the record at the time of the examination, understanding that objected-to evidence is still taken subject to those objections. If a deposition is conducted in a manner that appears abusive or oppressive, the rule provides a formal mechanism to seek relief from the presiding officer for discovery, with potential cost consequences depending on the outcome of any such motion.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 161—9 § 161—9.19 establishes procedural protections for anyone being deposed in a commission proceeding, including tenants who are witnesses or parties. A deponent has the right to have all objections noted on the record and may move to terminate or limit a deposition that is being conducted in bad faith or in an unreasonably oppressive manner. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid resources can help individuals understand these procedural rights, and the rule itself provides that a successful motion to stop or limit a deposition may result in the commission being required to pay the moving party's reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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