Model CID Cover Letter

Dear ________________________:


Enclosed with this letter is a Civil Investigative Demand ("CID") issued pursuant to the Antitrust Civil Process Act, l5 U.S.C. §§l3ll-l4, requiring your company to produce certain documents [and answer certain interrogatories] specified in the annexed Schedule. The CID seeks documents as part of an Antitrust Division investigation into [description, e.g., possible predatory pricing of widgets].

As noted on the CID, the due date for compliance is [date]. I should also like to call your attention to the certificate of compliance form printed on the reverse side of the CID. This certificate must be completed by all persons responsible for producing the documentary material called for by the CID and must accompany the documents you submit.

As you will note, I am the designated Deputy Custodian of the documentary materials [and interrogatory answers] sought from your company. To minimize your inconvenience in complying with the CID and to assist us, we propose that you submit copies of all documents by mail or messenger to me at the Antitrust Division, [remainder of address]. If you elect not to follow this procedure, please contact me by [date].

This CID covers documents in your company's possession, custody or control, wherever the documents are located. Unless and until we notify you otherwise in writing, we will not seek to enforce the CID to compel the production of documents that were located outside the United States at the time you received the CID. However, in order to expedite the conclusion of the present investigation, the Department requests your cooperation in producing any such documents on a voluntary basis by the date specified in the CID, or as otherwise agreed in writing.

If you have any questions regarding the CID, please contact me at (202) [phone number].