22 C.F.R. § 172.3 – Service of subpoenas, court orders, and other demands or requests for official information or action.

(a) Except in cases in which the Department is represented by legal counsel who have entered an appearance or otherwise given notice of their representation, only L/EX is authorized to receive and accept subpoenas, or other demands or requests directed to the Department, or any component thereof, or its employees, or former employees, whether civil or criminal nature, for:
1. (1) Material, including documents, contained in the files of the Department;
2. (2) Information, including testimony, affidavits, declarations, admissions, responses to interrogatories, or informal statements, relating to material contained in the files of the Department or which any Department employee acquired in the course and scope of the performance of his official duties;
3. (3) Garnishment or attachment of compensation of current or former employees; or
4. (4) The performance or non-performance of any official Department duty.
(b) In the event that any subpoena, demand, or request is sought to be delivered to a Department employee (including former employees) other than in the manner prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section, such attempted service shall be ineffective. Such employee shall, after consultation with the Office of the Legal Adviser, decline to accept the subpoena, demand or request or shall return them to the server under cover of a written communication referring to the procedures prescribed in this part.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in this part, the Department is not an agent for service, or otherwise authorized to accept on behalf of its employees any subpoenas, show-cause orders, or similar compulsory process of federal or state courts, or requests from private individuals or attorneys, which are not related to the employees' official duties except upon the express, written authorization of the individual Department employee to whom such demand or request is directed.
(d) Acceptance of such documents by L/EX does not constitute a waiver of any defenses that might otherwise exist with respect to service under the Federal Rules of Civil or Criminal Procedure or other applicable rules.
Editorial Note:At 91 FR 1246, Jan. 13, 2026, § 172.3 was amended by removing the term “L/H-EX” and adding in its place the term “S/ES-EX”. However, the amendment could not be incorporated because of inaccurate amendatory instructions.