13B.080 Conduct of hearing. (1) A hearing officer shall preside over the conduct of an administrative hearing and shall regulate the course of the proceedings in a manner which will promote the orderly and prompt conduct of the hearing. When a prehearing order has been issued, the hearing officer shall regulate the hearing in conformity with the prehearing order. (2) The hearing officer, at appropriate stages of the proceedings, shall give all parties full opportunity to file pleadings, motions, objections, and offers of settlement. The hearing officer, at appropriate stages of the proceedings, may give all parties full opportunity to file briefs, proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, and proposed recommended or final orders. The original of all filings shall be mailed to the agency, and copies of any filed item shall be served on all parties and the hearing officer by mail or any other means permitted by law or prescribed by agency administrative regulation. The agency shall when it is received stamp the time and date upon a document. (3) The hearing officer may issue subpoenas and discovery orders when requested by a party or on his own volition. When a subpoena is disobeyed, any party may apply to the Circuit Court of the judicial circuit in which the administrative hearing is held for an order requiring obedience. Failure to comply with an order of the court shall be cause for punishment as a contempt of the court. (4) To the extent necessary for the full disclosure of all relevant facts and issues, the hearing officer shall afford all parties the opportunity to respond, present evidence and argument, conduct cross-examination, and submit rebuttal evidence, except as restricted by limited grant of intervention or a prehearing order. (5) Any party to an administrative hearing may participate in person or be represented by counsel. In informal proceedings, a party may be represented by other professionals if appropriate and if permitted by the agency by administrative regulation. (6) If a party properly served under KRS 13B.050 fails to attend or participate in a prehearing conference, hearing, or other stage of the administrative hearing process, or fails to comply with the orders of a hearing officer, the hearing officer may adjourn the proceedings and issue a default order granting or denying relief as appropriate, or may conduct the proceedings without the participation of the defaulting party, having due regard for the interests of justice and the orderly and prompt conduct of the proceedings. A default order shall be considered a recommended order and shall be processed as provided in KRS 13B.110. (7) A hearing officer may conduct all or part of an administrative hearing, or a prehearing conference, by telephone, television, or other electronic means, if each party to the hearing has an opportunity to hear, and, if technically feasible, to see the entire proceeding as it occurs, and if each party agrees. (8) An administrative hearing shall be open to the public unless specifically closed pursuant to a provision of law. If an administrative hearing is conducted by telephone, television, or other electronic means, and is not closed, public access shall be satisfied by giving the public an opportunity, at reasonable times, to hear or inspect the agency's record. Effective: July 15, 1996 History: Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 318, sec. 8, effective July 15, 1996. -- Created 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 382, sec. 8, effective July 15, 1996.