624. EVIDENTIARY HEARINGS

624 PRE-HEARING CONFERENCES 624.1 The Administrative Judge may convene a pre-hearing conference to consider: (a) Simplification, clarification, compromise, or settlement of the issues; (b) Necessity and desirability of amendments to the pleadings; (c) Stipulations, admissions of fact, and the contents, admissibility, and authenticity of documents; (d) Whether the Administrative Judge will order an evidentiary hearing to expedite the presentation of evidence, including, but not limited to, restricting the number of witnesses; (e) A statement of the issues; and (f) Such other matters as may aid in the orderly disposition of the proceeding, including disclosure of the names of witnesses and furnishing, for inspection or copying, non-privileged documents, papers, books, or other physical exhibits, which constitute or contain evidence relevant to the subject matter involved and which are in the possession, custody, or control of any party to the proceeding. 624.2 A pre-hearing conference, in the discretion of the Administrative Judge, may be recorded verbatim. 624.3 After such pre-hearing conference, the Administrative Judge may issue an order that identifies the legal and factual issues in the appeal. Unless modified, such order shall control the subsequent course of the proceeding. 624.4 Failure to appear at the pre-hearing conference without good cause and after adequate notice shall constitute, in addition to grounds for sanctions, a waiver by that party of any right to object to the characterization of the issues as set forth in the post pre-hearing order. SOURCE: As amended by Final Rulemaking published at 46 DCR 9297 (November 19, 1999).