Title 12

SECTION 1070.47

1070.47 Other rules regarding the disclosure of confidential information.

§ 1070.47 Other rules regarding the disclosure of confidential information.

(a) Further disclosure prohibited. (1) All confidential information made available under this subpart shall remain the property of the CFPB, unless the General Counsel provides otherwise in writing.

(2) Except as set forth in this subpart, no supervised financial institution, Federal or State agency, any officer, director, employee or agent thereof, or any other person to whom the confidential information is made available under this subpart, may further disclose such confidential information without the prior written permission of the Director.

(3) No person obtaining access to confidential information pursuant to this subpart may make a personal copy of any such information, and no person may remove confidential information from the premises of the institution or agency in possession of such information except as permitted under this subpart or by the CFPB.

(b) Third party requests for information. (1) A supervised financial institution, Federal or State agency, any officer, director, employee or agent thereof, or any other person to whom the CFPB's confidential information is made available under this subpart, that receives from a third party a legally enforceable demand or request for such confidential information (including but not limited to, a subpoena or discovery request or a request made pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, or any State analogue to such statutes) should:

(i) Inform the General Counsel of such request or demand in writing and provide the General Counsel with a copy of such request or demand as soon as practicable after receiving it;

(ii) To the extent permitted by applicable law, advise the requester that:

(A) The confidential information sought may not be disclosed insofar as it is the property of the CFPB; and

(B) Any request for the disclosure of such confidential information is properly directed to the CFPB pursuant to its regulations set forth in this subpart; and

(iii) Consult with the General Counsel before complying with the request or demand, and to the extent applicable:

(A) Give the CFPB a reasonable opportunity to respond to the demand or request;

(B) Assert all reasonable and appropriate legal exemptions or privileges that the CFPB may request be asserted on its behalf; and

(C) Consent to a motion by the CFPB to intervene in any action for the purpose of asserting and preserving any claims of confidentiality with respect to any confidential information.

(2) Nothing in this section shall prevent a supervised financial institution, Federal or State agency, any officer, director, employee or agent thereof, or any other person to whom the information is made available under this subpart from complying with a legally valid and enforceable order of a court of competent jurisdiction compelling production of the CFPB's confidential information, or, if compliance is deemed compulsory, with a request or demand from either House of the Congress or a duly authorized committee of the Congress. To the extent that compulsory disclosure of confidential information occurs as set forth in this paragraph (b)(2), the producing party shall use its best efforts to ensure that the requestor secures an appropriate protective order or, if the requestor is a legislative body, use its best efforts to obtain the commitment or agreement of the legislative body that it will maintain the confidentiality of the confidential information.

(c) Additional conditions and limitations. The CFPB may impose any additional conditions or limitations on disclosure or use under this subpart that it determines are necessary.

(d) Return or destruction of records. Except with respect to confidential investigative information disclosed pursuant to § 1070.42(a), the CFPB may require any person in possession of CFPB confidential information to return the records to the CFPB or destroy them.

(e) Non-waiver of CFPB rights. Except as provided in § 1070.42(c), the disclosure of confidential information to any person in accordance with this subpart does not constitute a waiver by the CFPB of its right to control, or impose limitations on, the subsequent use and dissemination of the information.

(f) Non-waiver of privilege - (1) In general. The CFPB shall not be deemed to have waived any privilege applicable to any information by transferring that information to, or permitting that information to be used by, any Federal or State agency.

(2) Rule of construction. Paragraph (f)(1) of this section shall not be construed as implying that any person waives any privilege applicable to any information because paragraph (f)(1) of this section does not apply to the transfer or use of that information.

(g) Reports of unauthorized disclosure. Any person that obtains confidential information under this subpart shall, as soon as possible and without unreasonable delay, notify the CFPB upon the discovery of any further disclosures made in violation of this subpart.