Complaints.

§ 4.450–4 Complaints. (a) Contents of complaint. The complaint shall contain the following information, under oath: (1) The name and address of each party interested; (2) A legal description of the land involved; (3) A reference, so far as known to the contestant, to any proceedings pending for the acquisition of title to, or an interest, in such land: (4) A statement in clear and concise language of the facts constituting the grounds of contest; (5) A statement of the law under which contestant claims or intends to acquire title to, or an interest in, the land and of the facts showing that he is qualified to do so; (6) A statement that the proceeding is not collusive or speculative but is insitituted and will be diligently pursued in good faith; (7) A request that the contestant be allowed to prove his allegations and that the adverse interest be invalidated; (8) The office in which the complaint is filed and the address to which documents shall be sent for service on the contestant; and (9) A notice that unless the contestee files an answer to the complaint in such office within 30 days after service of the notice, the allegations of the complaint will be taken as confessed. (b) Amendment of complaint. Except insofar as the manager, administrative law judge, Director, Board or Secretary may raise issues in connection with deciding a contest, issues not raised in a complaint may not be raised later by the contestant unless the administrative law judge permits the complaint to be amended after due notice to the other parties and an opportunity to object. (c) Corroboration required. All allegations of fact in the complaint which are not matters of official record or capable of being judicially noticed and which, if proved, would invalidate the adverse interest must be corroborated under oath by the statement of witnesses. Each such allegation of fact must be corroborated by the statement of at least one witness having personal knowledge of the alleged fact and such fact must be set forth in the statement. All statements by witnesses shall be attached to the complaint. (d) Filing fee. Each complaint must be accompanied by a filing fee of $10 and a deposit of $20 toward reporter's fees. Any complaint which is not accompanied by the required fee and deposit will not be accepted for filing. (e) Waiver of issues. Any issue not raised by a private contestant in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b) of this section, which was known to him, or could have been known to him by the exercise of reasonable diligence, shall be deemed to have been waived by him, and he shall thereafter be forever barred from raising such issue. [36 FR 7186, Apr. 15, 1971, as amended at 88 FR 5794, Jan. 30, 2023]