CFR

18.39—Waiver of right to appear and failure to participate or to appear.

(a) Waiver of right to appear. If all parties waive their right to appear before the administrative law judge or to present evidence or argument personally or by representative, it shall not be necessary for the administrative law judge to give notice of and conduct an oral hearing. A waiver of the right to appear and present evidence and allegations as to facts and law shall be made in writing and filed with the Chief Administrative Law Judge or the administrative law judge. Where such a waiver has been filed by all parties and they do not appear before the administrative law judge personally or by representative, the administrative law judge shall make a record of the relevant written evidence submitted by the parties, together with any pleadings they may submit with respect to the issues in the case. Such documents shall be considered as all of the evidence in the case, and the decision shall be based on them.

(b) Dismissal—Abandonment by Party. A request for hearing may be dismissed upon its abandonment or settlement by the party or parties who filed it. A party shall be deemed to have abandoned a request for hearing if neither the party nor his or her representative appears at the time and place fixed for the hearing and either (a) prior to the time for hearing such party does not show good cause as to why neither he or she nor his or her representative can appear or (b) within ten (10) days after the mailing of a notice to him or her by the administrative law judge to show cause, such party does not show good cause for such failure to appear and fails to notify the administrative law judge prior to the time fixed for hearing that he or she cannot appear. A default decision, under § 18.5(b), may be entered against any party failing, without good cause, to appear at a hearing.

Tips