(a) If a respondent is provided the opportunity for hearing in an initial determination and does not waive hearing, the Deputy Chief Counsel within 10 days after the respondent elects a hearing will issue and serve on the respondent and complainant a hearing order. The hearing order will set forth:

(1) The allegations in the complaint, or notice of investigation, and the chronology and results of the investigation preliminary to the hearing;

(2) The relevant statutory, judicial, regulatory, and other authorities;

(3) The issues to be decided;

(4) Such rules of procedure as may be necessary to supplement the provisions of this part;

(5) The name and address of the person designated as hearing officer, and the assignment of authority to the hearing officer to conduct the hearing in accordance with the procedures set forth in this part; and

(6) The date by which the hearing officer is directed to issue an initial decision.

(b) Where there are no genuine issues of material fact requiring oral examination of witnesses, the hearing order may contain a direction to the hearing officer to conduct a hearing by submission of briefs and oral argument without the presentation of testimony or other evidence.

In accordance with the rules of this subpart, a hearing officer may:

(a) Give notice of, and hold, prehearing conferences and hearings;

(b) Administer oaths and affirmations;

(c) Issue subpoenas authorized by law and issue notices of deposition requested by the parties;

(d) Limit the frequency and extent of discovery;

(e) Rule on offers of proof;

(f) Receive relevant and material evidence;

(g) Regulate the course of the hearing in accordance with the rules of this part to avoid unnecessary and duplicative proceedings in the interest of prompt and fair resolution of the matters at issue;

(h) Hold conferences to settle or to simplify the issues by consent of the parties;

(i) Dispose of procedural motions and requests;

(j) Examine witnesses; and

(k) Make findings of fact and conclusions of law, and issue an initial decision.

(a) Appearances. Any party may appear and be heard in person.

(1) Any party may be accompanied, represented, or advised by an attorney licensed by a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory of the United States to practice law or appear before the courts of that State or territory, or by another person authorized by the hearing officer to be the party's representative.

(2) An attorney, or other duly authorized representative, who represents a party shall file a notice of appearance in accordance with § 16.13.

(b) Parties and agency participation. (1) The parties to the hearing are the complainant(s) and respondent(s) named in the hearing order, and the agency. The style of any pleadings filed under this Subpart shall name the respondent as the Appellant, and the Federal Aviation Administration as the Agency.

(2) Unless otherwise specified in the hearing order, the agency attorney will serve as prosecutor for the agency from the date of issuance of the Director's Determination providing an opportunity for hearing.

(a) Intervention and participation by other persons are permitted only at the hearing stage of the complaint process and with the written approval of the hearing officer.

(b) A person may submit a written motion for leave to intervene as a party. Except for good cause shown, a motion for leave to intervene shall be submitted not later than 10 days after the notice of hearing and hearing order.

(c) If the hearing officer finds that intervention will not unduly broaden the issues or delay the proceedings and, if the person has an interest that will benefit the proceedings, the hearing officer may grant a motion for leave to intervene. The hearing officer may determine the extent to which an intervenor may participate in the proceedings.

(d) Other persons may petition the hearing officer for leave to participate in the hearing. Participation is limited to the filing of a posthearing brief and reply to the hearing officer and the Associate Administrator. Such a brief shall be filed and served on all parties in the same manner as the parties' posthearing briefs are filed.

(e) Participation under this section is at the discretion of the hearing officer, and no decision permitting participation shall be deemed to constitute an expression that the participant has such a substantial interest in the proceeding as would entitle it to judicial review of such decision.

(a) Extension by oral agreement. The parties may agree to extend for a reasonable period of time for filing a document under this part. If the parties agree, the hearing officer shall grant one extension of time to each party. The party seeking the extension of time shall submit a draft order to the hearing officer to be signed by the hearing officer and filed with the hearing docket. The hearing officer may grant additional oral requests for an extension of time where the parties agree to the extension.

(b) Extension by motion. A party shall file a written motion for an extension of time with the hearing officer not later than 7 days before the document is due unless good cause for the late filing is shown. A party filing a written motion for an extension of time shall serve a copy of the motion on each party.

(c) Failure to rule. If the hearing officer fails to rule on a written motion for an extension of time by the date the document was due, the motion for an extension of time is deemed denied.

(d) Effect on time limits. In a hearing required by section 519(b) of the Airport and Airways Improvement Act, as amended in 1987, 49 U.S.C. 47106(e) and 47111(d), the due date for the hearing officer's initial decision and for the final agency decision are extended by the length of the extension granted by the hearing officer only if the hearing officer grants an extension of time as a result of an agreement by the parties as specified in paragraph (a) of this section or, if the hearing officer grants an extension of time as a result of the sponsor's failure to adhere to the hearing schedule. In any other hearing, an extension of time granted by the hearing officer for any reason extends the due date for the hearing officer's initial decision and for the final agency decision by the length of time of the hearing officer's decision.

(a) Prehearing conference notice. The hearing officer schedules a prehearing conference and serves a prehearing conference notice on the parties promptly after being designated as a hearing officer.

(1) The prehearing conference notice specifies the date, time, place, and manner (in person or by telephone) of the prehearing conference.

(2) The prehearing conference notice may direct the parties to exchange proposed witness lists, requests for evidence and the production of documents in the possession of another party, responses to interrogatories, admissions, proposed procedural schedules, and proposed stipulations before the date of the prehearing conference.

(b) The prehearing conference. The prehearing conference is conducted by telephone or in person, at the hearing officer's discretion. The prehearing conference addresses matters raised in the prehearing conference notice and such other matters as the hearing officer determines will assist in a prompt, full and fair hearing of the issues.

(c) Prehearing conference report. At the close of the prehearing conference, the hearing officer rules on any requests for evidence and the production of documents in the possession of other parties, responses to interrogatories, and admissions; on any requests for depositions; on any proposed stipulations; and on any pending applications for subpoenas as permitted by § 16.219. In addition, the hearing officer establishes the schedule, which shall provide for the issuance of an initial decision not later than 110 days after issuance of the Director's Determination order unless otherwise provided in the hearing order.

(a) Discovery is limited to requests for admissions, requests for production of documents, interrogatories, and depositions as authorized by § 16.215.

(b) The hearing officer shall limit the frequency and extent of discovery permitted by this section if a party shows that—

(1) The information requested is cumulative or repetitious;

(2) The information requested may be obtained from another less burdensome and more convenient source;

(3) The party requesting the information has had ample opportunity to obtain the information through other discovery methods permitted under this section; or

(4) The method or scope of discovery requested by the party is unduly burdensome or expensive.

(a) General. For good cause shown, the hearing officer may order that the testimony of a witness may be taken by deposition and that the witness produce documentary evidence in connection with such testimony. Generally, an order to take the deposition of a witness is entered only if:

(1) The person whose deposition is to be taken would be unavailable at the hearing;

(2) The deposition is deemed necessary to perpetuate the testimony of the witness; or

(3) The taking of the deposition is necessary to prevent undue and excessive expense to a party and will not result in undue burden to other parties or in undue delay.

(b) Application for deposition. Any party desiring to take the deposition of a witness shall make application therefor to the hearing officer in writing, with a copy of the application served on each party. The application shall include:

(1) The name and residence of the witness;

(2) The time and place for the taking of the proposed deposition;

(3) The reasons why such deposition should be taken; and

(4) A general description of the matters concerning which the witness will be asked to testify.

(c) Order authorizing deposition. If good cause is shown, the hearing officer, in his or her discretion, issues an order authorizing the deposition and specifying the name of the witness to be deposed, the location and time of the deposition and the general scope and subject matter of the testimony to be taken.

(d) Procedures for deposition. (1) Witnesses whose testimony is taken by deposition shall be sworn or shall affirm before any questions are put to them. Each question propounded shall be recorded and the answers of the witness transcribed verbatim.

(2) Objections to questions or evidence shall be recorded in the transcript of the deposition. The interposing of an objection shall not relieve the witness of the obligation to answer questions, except where the answer would violate a privilege.

(3) The written transcript shall be subscribed by the witness, unless the parties by stipulation waive the signing, or the witness is ill, cannot be found, or refuses to sign. The reporter shall note the reason for failure to sign.

(e) Depositions of agency employees. (1) Depositions of Agency Employees will not be allowed except under the provisions of 49 CFR part 9.

(2) Such depositions will be allowed only with the specific written permission of the Chief Counsel or his or her designee.

(a) Each party may designate as a witness any person who is able and willing to give testimony that is relevant and material to the issues in the hearing case, subject to the limitation set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(b) The hearing officer may exclude testimony of witnesses that would be irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious.

(c) Any witness may be accompanied by counsel. Counsel representing a nonparty witness has no right to examine the witness or otherwise participate in the development of testimony.

(a) Request for subpoena. A party may apply to the hearing officer, within the time specified for such applications in the prehearing conference report, for a subpoena to compel testimony at a hearing or to require the production of documents only from the following persons:

(1) Another party;

(2) An officer, employee, or agent of another party;

(3) Any other person named in the complaint as participating in or benefiting from the actions of the respondent alleged to have violated any Act;

(4) An officer, employee, or agent of any other person named in the complaint as participating in or benefiting from the actions of the respondent alleged to have violated any Act.

(b) Issuance and service of subpoena. (1) The hearing officer issues the subpoena if the hearing officer determines that the evidence to be obtained by the subpoena is relevant and material to the resolution of the issues in the case.

(2) Subpoenas shall be served by personal service, or upon an agent designated in writing for the purpose, or by certified mail, return receipt addressed to such person or agent. Whenever service is made by registered or certified mail, the date of mailing shall be considered as the time when service is made.

(3) A subpoena issued under this part is effective throughout the United States or any territory or possession thereof.

(c) Motions to quash or modify subpoena. (1) A party or any person upon whom a subpoena has been served may file a motion to quash or modify the subpoena with the hearing officer at or before the time specified in the subpoena for the filing of such motions. The applicant shall describe in detail the basis for the application to quash or modify the subpoena including, but not limited to, a statement that the testimony, document, or tangible evidence is not relevant to the proceeding, that the subpoena is not reasonably tailored to the scope of the proceeding, or that the subpoena is unreasonable and oppressive.

(2) A motion to quash or modify the subpoena stays the effect of the subpoena pending a decision by the hearing officer on the motion.

(a) The party on whose behalf a witness appears is responsible for paying any witness fees and mileage expenses.

(b) Except for employees of the United States summoned to testify as to matters related to their public employment, witnesses summoned by subpoena shall be paid the same fees and mileage expenses as are paid to a witness in a court of the United States in comparable circumstances.

(a) General. A party may submit direct and rebuttal evidence in accordance with this section.

(b) Requirement for written testimony and evidence. Except in the case of evidence obtained by subpoena, or in the case of a special ruling by the hearing officer to admit oral testimony, a party's direct and rebuttal evidence shall be submitted in written form in advance of the oral hearing pursuant to the schedule established in the hearing officer's prehearing conference report. Written direct and rebuttal fact testimony shall be certified by the witness as true and correct. Subject to the same exception (for evidence obtained by subpoena or subject to a special ruling by the hearing officer), oral examination of a party's own witness is limited to certification of the accuracy of written evidence, including correction and updating, if necessary, and reexamination following cross-examination by other parties.

(c) Subpoenaed testimony. Testimony of witnesses appearing under subpoena may be obtained orally.

(d) Cross-examination. A party may conduct cross-examination that may be required for disclosure of the facts, subject to control by the hearing officer for fairness, expedition and exclusion of extraneous matters.

(e) Hearsay evidence. Hearsay evidence is admissible in proceedings governed by this part. The fact that evidence is hearsay goes to the weight of evidence and does not affect its admissibility.

(f) Admission of evidence. The hearing officer admits evidence introduced by a party in support of its case in accordance with this section, but may exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence.

(g) Expert or opinion witnesses. An employee of the FAA or DOT may not be called as an expert or opinion witness for any party other than the agency except as provided in Department of Transportation regulations at 49 CFR part 9.

(a) Except as provided in this section, the hearing shall be open to the public.

(b) The hearing officer may order that any information contained in the record be withheld from public disclosure. Any person may object to disclosure of information in the record by filing a written motion to withhold specific information with the hearing officer. The person shall state specific grounds for nondisclosure in the motion.

(c) The hearing officer shall grant the motion to withhold information from public disclosure if the hearing officer determines that disclosure would be in violation of the Privacy Act, would reveal trade secrets or privileged or confidential commercial or financial information, or is otherwise prohibited by law.

The hearing officer shall issue an initial decision or rule in a party's favor only if the decision or ruling is in accordance with law and supported by a preponderance of the reliable, probative, and substantial evidence contained in the record.

As used in this subpart, the burden of proof is as follows:

(a) The burden of proof of noncompliance with an Act or any regulation, order, agreement or document of conveyance issued under the authority of an Act is on the agency.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by statute or rule, the proponent of a motion, request, or order has the burden of proof.

(c) A party who has asserted an affirmative defense has the burden of proving the affirmative defense.

A party whose evidence has been excluded by a ruling of the hearing officer may offer the evidence on the record when filing an appeal.

(a) Exclusive record. The transcript of all testimony in the hearing, all exhibits received into evidence, all motions, applications requests and rulings, all documents included in the hearing record and the Director's Determination shall constitute the exclusive record for decision in the proceedings and the basis for the issuance of any orders.

(b) Examination and copy of record. A copy of the record will be filed by the FAA Part 16 Docket Clerk in the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS). Any person desiring to review the record may then do so at http://www.regulations.gov.

(a) Argument during the hearing. During the hearing, the hearing officer shall give the parties reasonable opportunity to present oral argument on the record supporting or opposing motions, objections, and rulings if the parties request an opportunity for argument. The hearing officer may direct written argument during the hearing if the hearing officer finds that submission of written arguments would not delay the hearing.

(b) Posthearing briefs. The hearing officer may request or permit the parties to submit posthearing briefs. The hearing officer may provide for the filing of simultaneous reply briefs as well, if such filing will not unduly delay the issuance of the hearing officer's initial decision. Posthearing briefs shall include proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law; exceptions to rulings of the hearing officer; references to the record in support of the findings of fact; and supporting arguments for the proposed findings, proposed conclusions, and exceptions.

(a) The hearing officer shall waive such procedural steps as all parties to the hearing agree to waive before issuance of an initial decision.

(b) Consent to a waiver of any procedural step bars the raising of this issue on appeal.

(c) The parties may not by consent waive the obligation of the hearing officer to enter an initial decision on the record.

(a) The hearing officer shall issue an initial decision based on the record developed during the proceeding and shall send the initial decision to the parties not later than 110 days after the Director's Determination unless otherwise provided in the hearing order.

(b) Each party adversely affected by the hearing officer's initial decision may file an appeal with the Associate Administrator within 15 days of the date the initial decision is issued. Each party may file a reply to an appeal within 10 days after it is served on the party. Filing and service of appeals and replies shall be by personal delivery.

(c) If an appeal is filed, the Associate Administrator reviews the entire record and issues a final agency decision and order within 60 days of the due date of the reply. If no appeal is filed, the Associate Administrator may take review of the case on his or her own motion. If the Associate Administrator finds that the respondent is not in compliance with any Act or any regulation, agreement, or document of conveyance issued or made under such Act, the final agency order includes, in accordance with § 16.245(d), a statement of corrective action, if appropriate, and identifies sanctions for continued noncompliance.

(d) If no appeal is filed, and the Associate Administrator does not take review of the initial decision on the Associate Administrator's own motion, the initial decision shall take effect as the final agency decision and order on the sixteenth day after the actual date the initial decision is issued.

(e) The failure to file an appeal is deemed a waiver of any rights to seek judicial review of an initial decision that becomes a final agency decision by operation of paragraph (d) of this section.

(a) The agency attorney and the respondents may agree at any time before the issuance of a final decision and order to dispose of the case by issuance of a consent order. Good faith efforts to resolve a complaint through issuance of a consent order may continue throughout the administrative process. Except as provided in § 16.209, such efforts may not serve as the basis for extensions of the times set forth in this part.

(b) A proposal for a consent order, specified in paragraph (a) of this section, shall include:

(1) A proposed consent order;

(2) An admission of all jurisdictional facts;

(3) An express waiver of the right to further procedural steps and of all rights of judicial review; and

(4) The hearing order, if issued, and an acknowledgment that the hearing order may be used to construe the terms of the consent order.

(c) If the issuance of a consent order has been agreed upon by all parties to the hearing, the proposed consent order shall be filed with the hearing officer, along with a draft order adopting the consent decree and dismissing the case, for the hearing officer's adoption.

(d) The deadline for the hearing officer's initial decision and the final agency decision is extended by the amount of days elapsed between the filing of the proposed consent order with the hearing officer and the issuance of the hearing officer's order continuing the hearing.

(e) If the agency attorney and sponsor agree to dispose of a case by issuance of a consent order before the FAA issues a hearing order, the proposal for a consent order is submitted jointly to the official authorized to issue a hearing order, together with a request to adopt the consent order and dismiss the case. The official authorized to issue the hearing order issues the consent order as an order of the FAA and terminates the proceeding.

(a) The Associate Administrator may transfer to the FAA Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights the authority to prepare and issue Final Agency Decisions pursuant to § 16.241 for appeals from a hearing concerning civil rights issues.

(b) After a hearing is held, and, after considering the issues as set forth in § 16.245(e), if the Associate Administrator determines that the hearing officer's initial decision or order should be changed, the Associate Administrator may:

(1) Make any necessary findings and issue an order in lieu of the hearing officer's initial decision or order, or

(2) Remand the proceeding for any such purpose as the Associate Administrator may deem necessary.

(c) If the Associate Administrator takes review of the hearing officer's initial decision on the Associate Administrator's own motion, the Associate Administrator will issue a notice of review within 20 days of the actual date the initial decision is issued.

(1) The notice sets forth the specific findings of fact and conclusions of law in the initial decision that are subject to review by the Associate Administrator.

(2) Parties may file one brief on review to the Associate Administrator or rely on their posthearing brief to the hearing officer. A brief on review shall be filed not later than 10 days after service of the notice of review. Filing and service of a brief on review shall be by personal delivery.

(3) The Associate Administrator issues a final agency decision and order within 30 days of the due date of the brief. If the Associate Administrator finds that the respondent is not in compliance with any Act or any regulation, agreement or document of conveyance issued under such Act, the final agency order includes a statement of corrective action, if appropriate.

(d) When the final agency decision finds a respondent in noncompliance, and where a respondent fails to properly seek judicial review of the final agency decision as set forth in subpart G of this part, the Associate Administrator will issue an order remanding the case to the Director for the following action:

(1) In the event that the respondent fails to submit, in accordance with the final agency decision, a Corrective Action Plan acceptable to the FAA within the time provided, unless extended by the FAA for good cause, and/or if the respondent fails to complete the Corrective Action Plan as specified therein, the Director may initiate action to revoke and/or deny applications for Airport Improvement Program grants issued under 49 U.S.C. 47114(c)-(e) and 47115. When the Director concludes that the respondent has fully complied with the Corrective Action Plan, the Director will issue an Order terminating the proceeding.

(2) For those violations that cannot be remedied through corrective action, the Director may initiate action to revoke and/or deny the respondent's applications for Airport Improvement Program grants issued under 49 U.S.C. 47114(c)-(e) and 47115.

(e) On appeal from a hearing officer's initial decision, the Associate Administrator will consider the following questions:

(1) Are the findings of fact each supported by a preponderance of reliable, probative and substantial evidence?

(2) Are conclusions made in accordance with law, precedent and policy?

(3) Are the questions on appeal substantial?

(4) Have any prejudicial errors occurred?

(f) Any new issues or evidence presented in an appeal or reply will not be allowed unless accompanied by a certified petition and good cause found as to why the new matter was not presented to the Director. Such a petition must:

(1) Set forth the new issues or evidence;

(2) Contain affidavits of prospective witnesses, authenticated documents, or both, or an explanation of why such substantiation is unavailable; and

(3) Contain a statement explaining why such new matter could not have been discovered in the exercise of due diligence prior to the date on which the evidentiary record closed.

(g) A Final Agency Decision may be appealed in accordance with subpart G of this part.