A. 1. The agency conducting any individual proceeding or investigation shall have power to require the furnishing of such information, the attendance of such witnesses, and the production of such books, records, papers or other objects as may be necessary and proper for the purposes of the proceeding or investigation.

2. The agency, or any party to a proceeding before it, may take the depositions of witnesses, within or without the state, in the same manner as is provided by law for the taking of depositions in civil actions in courts of record. Depositions so taken shall be admissible in any proceeding affected by this act. Provided, however, all or any part of the deposition may be objected to at time of hearing, and may be received in evidence or excluded from the evidence by the agency or individual conducting the hearing in accordance with the law with reference to evidence in this act or with reference to evidence in courts of record under the law of the State of Oklahoma.

B. In furtherance of the powers granted by subsection A of this section, any agency, administrative head, hearing examiner or any other duly authorized member or employee thereof, upon its own motion may, and upon the request of any party appearing in an individual proceeding shall:

1. Issue subpoenas for witnesses;

2. Issue subpoenas duces tecum to compel the production of books, records, papers or other objects, which may be served by the marshal of the agency or by any person in any manner prescribed for the service of a subpoena in a civil action; or

3. Quash a subpoena or subpoenas duces tecum so issued; provided, prior to quashing a subpoena or subpoenas duces tecum the agency shall give notice to all parties. A subpoena or subpoenas duces tecum may not be quashed if any party objects.

C. 1. In case of disobedience to any subpoena issued and served under this section or to any lawful agency requirement for information, or of the refusal of any person to testify to any matter regarding which he or she may be interrogated lawfully in a proceeding before an agency, the agency may apply to the district or superior court of the county of such person's residence or to any judge thereof for an order to compel compliance with the subpoena or the furnishing of information or the giving of testimony. Forthwith the court or the judge shall cite the respondent to appear and shall hear the matter as expeditiously as possible.

2. If the disobedience or refusal is found to be unlawful, the court, or the judge, shall enter an order requiring compliance. Disobedience of such an order shall be punished as contempt of court in the same manner and by the same procedure as is provided for like conduct committed in the course of judicial proceedings.

Added by Laws 1963, c. 371, § 15. Amended by Laws 1992, c. 310, § 12, eff. July 1, 1992; Laws 2014, c. 279, § 1, emerg. eff. May 12, 2014.