(a) Actions may be commenced before the tribunal on and after January 1, 2013. Actions before the tribunal shall be commenced by filing a petition with the tribunal, naming the commissioner as respondent in his or her official capacity, within the time periods prescribed by Code Section 48-2-18, 48-2-35, 48-2-59, 48-6-7, or 48-6-76 or subparagraph (d)(2)(C) of Code Section 48-7-31, as the case may be, or as otherwise provided by law. The petitioner shall serve a copy of the petition on the commissioner and the Attorney General and attach a certificate of service to the petition filed with the tribunal. In the case of a refund action pursuant to Code Section 48-6-7 or 48-6-76, the petition also shall be served on the clerk of the superior court or collecting officer who is made a party to the action. Service shall be accomplished by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery. The petition shall include a summary statement of facts and law upon which the petitioner relies in seeking the requested relief.

(b) The commissioner and any other respondents shall file a response to petitioner's statement of facts and law which constitutes his or her answer with the tribunal no later than 30 days after the service of the petition. The commissioner and any other respondents shall serve a copy of their response on the petitioner's representative or, if the petitioner is not represented, on the petitioner, and shall file a certificate of such service with the response. If in any case a response has not been filed within the time required by this subsection, the case shall automatically become in default unless the time for filing the response has been extended by agreement of the parties, for a period not to exceed 30 days, or by the judge of the tribunal. The default may be opened as a matter of right by the filing of a response within 15 days of the day of default and payment of costs. At any time before final judgment, the judge of the tribunal, in his or her discretion, may allow the default to be opened for providential cause that prevented the filing of the response or for excusable neglect or when the tribunal judge, from all the facts, determines that a proper case has been made for the default to be opened on terms to be fixed by the tribunal judge.

(c) Pleadings and proceedings before the tribunal shall be subject to the amendment and supplementation provisions of Code Section 9-11-15.

(d) Code Section 50-13A-18 shall apply to service of pleadings and documents.

(e) As soon as reasonably practicable, the tribunal judge shall schedule a prehearing conference to address discovery, scheduling, and other matters.

(f) The tribunal judge may remand a matter in dispute to the commissioner for further consideration upon motion by all parties to the proceeding, for good cause shown on the motion of any party, or sua sponte when the tribunal judge reasonably determines that circumstances warrant. Any such remand shall not divest the tribunal of jurisdiction, and the tribunal judge's order shall provide that any party, upon appropriate advance notice to all other parties, shall be entitled to have such matter returned to the tribunal for resolution.

(g) Contested cases pending before the Office of State Administrative Hearings on and before December 31, 2012, and cases when the taxpayer made a written demand for a hearing pursuant to Code Section 50-13-12 before January 1, 2013, shall not be transferred to the tribunal. If, on and after January 1, 2013, a written petition for relief or a demand for hearing is filed with the commissioner or by the affected party directly with the Office of State Administrative Hearings in a matter falling within the tribunal's jurisdiction under subsection (a) of Code Section 50-13A-9, such matter shall be transferred to the tribunal, and the remaining provisions of this chapter shall be applicable.