(a) Parties are encouraged to engage in voluntary discovery procedures. For good cause shown under appropriate circumstances, but not as a matter of course, the judge may entertain motions for permission for discovery and issue orders including orders—(1) to submit testimony upon oral examination or written interrogatories before an officer authorized to administer oaths, (2) to permit service of written interrogatories upon the opposing party, (3) to produce and permit inspection of designated documents, and (4) to permit service upon the opposing parties of a request for the admission of specified facts.
(b) Motions for discovery shall be granted only to the extent and upon such terms as the judge in his/her discretion considers to be consistent with and essential to the objective of securing a just and inexpensive determination of the merits of the citation without unnecessary delay.
(c) In connection with any discovery procedure, the judge may make any order which justice requires to protect a party or person from annoyance, embarrassment, oppression or undue burden or expense, including limitations on the scope, method, time and place for discovery, and provisions for protecting the secrecy of confidential information or documents. If any party fails to comply with a discovery order of the judge, without an excuse or explanation satisfactory to the judge, the judge may decide the fact or issue relating to the material requested to be produced, or the subject matter of the probable testimony, in accordance with claims of the other party in interest or in accordance with the other evidence available to the judge, or make such other ruling as he/she determines just and proper.
