Sec. 25. (a) This section and section 26 of this chapter govern the conduct of any hearing held by an administrative law judge.

(b) The administrative law judge shall regulate the course of the proceedings in conformity with any prehearing order and in an informal manner without recourse to the technical, common law rules of evidence applicable to civil actions in the courts.

(c) To the extent necessary for full disclosure of all relevant facts and issues, the administrative law judge shall afford to all parties the opportunity to respond, present evidence and argument, conduct cross-examination, and submit rebuttal evidence, except as restricted by a limitation under subsection (d) or by the prehearing order.

(d) The administrative law judge may, after a prehearing order is issued under section 19 of this chapter, impose conditions upon a party necessary to avoid unreasonably burdensome or repetitious presentations by the party, such as the following:

(1) Limiting the party's participation to designated issues in which the party has a particular interest demonstrated by the petition.

(2) Limiting the party's use of discovery, cross-examination, and other procedures so as to promote the orderly, prompt, and just conduct of the proceeding.

(3) Requiring two (2) or more parties to combine their presentations of evidence and argument, cross-examination, discovery, and other participation in the proceedings.

If a person is allowed to intervene in the proceeding after the commencement of a hearing under this section, the administrative law judge may prohibit the intervener from recalling any witness who has been heard or reopening any matter that has been resolved, unless the intervener did not receive a notice required by this chapter or the intervener presents facts that demonstrate that fraud, perjury, or an abuse of discretion has occurred. Any proceedings conducted before the giving of a notice required by this chapter are voidable upon the motion of the party who failed to receive the notice.

(e) The administrative law judge may administer oaths and affirmations and rule on any offer of proof or other motion.

(f) The administrative law judge may give nonparties an opportunity to present oral or written statements. If the administrative law judge proposes to consider a statement by a nonparty, the judge shall give all parties an opportunity to challenge or rebut it and, on motion of any party, the judge shall require the statement to be given under oath or affirmation.

(g) The administrative law judge shall have the hearing recorded at the agency's expense. The agency is not required, at its expense, to prepare a transcript, unless required to do so by law. Any party, at the party's expense, may cause a reporter approved by the agency to prepare a transcript from the agency's record, or cause additional recordings to be made during the hearing if the making of the additional recordings does not cause distraction or disruption. Notwithstanding IC 5-14-3-8, an agency may charge a person who requests that an agency provide a transcript (other than for judicial review under IC 4-21.5-5-13) the reasonable costs of preparing the transcript.

As added by P.L.18-1986, SEC.1.