Ariz. Admin. Code § R6-5-2405 - Hearing Process

A. Filing of appeal

1. A request for a hearing shall be filed in writing with the Department or provider within 15 calendar days after the mailing date of the decision letter, except that for appeals on denying, revoking or suspending a license of a child welfare agency or foster home the request shall be filed within 20 calendar days.

2. Except as otherwise provided by statute or by Department regulation, any appeal, application, request, notice, re- port, or other information or document submitted to the Department shall be considered received by and filed with the Department:

a. If transmitted via the United States Postal Service or its successor, on the date it is mailed. The mailing date will be as follows:

i. As shown by the postmark.

ii. In the absence of a postmark the postage-meter mark of the envelope in which it is received;

iii. If not postmarked or postage-meter marked, or if the mark is illegible, the date entered on the document as the date of completion.

b. If transmitted by any means other than the United States Postal Service or its successor, on the date it is received by the Department.

c. The submission of any appeal, application, request, notice, report or other information or document not within the specified statutory or regulatory period shall be considered timely if it is established to the satisfaction of the Department that the delay in submission was due to Department error or misinformation or to delay or other action of the United States Postal Service or its successor.

d. Any notice, determination, decision or other data mailed by the Department shall be considered as having been given to the addressee to whom it is directed on the date it is mailed to the addressee's last known address. The date mailed shall be presumed to be the date of the notice, determination, decision or other data unless otherwise indicated by the facts. Computation of time shall be made in accordance with Rule 6(a) of the Rules of Civil Procedure, 16 A.R.S.

3. Benefits shall not be reduced or terminated prior to a hearing decision unless due to a subsequent change in household eligibility another notice of adverse action is received and not timely appealed.

4. The local office or provider shall advise the client of any community legal services available and, when requested, shall assist in completing the hearing request.

B. Notice of hearing

1. Hearings will be held at the local office or any other place mutually agreed upon by the hearing officer and appellant. They shall be scheduled not less than 20 nor more than 30 days from the date of filing of the request for hearing. The appellant shall be given no less than 15 days notice of hearing, except that the appellant may waiver the notice period or request a delay. For appeals on denying, revoking or suspending a license of a child welfare agency or foster home, however, the hearing shall be held within ten days of the date of filing of the request for hearing.

2. The notice of hearing shall inform the appellant of the date, time, and place of the hearing, the name of the hearing officer, the issues involved, and of his rights to: present his case in person or through a representative; examine and copy any documents in his case file and all documents and records to be used by the agency at the hearing at a reasonable time prior to the hearing as well as at the hearing; obtain assistance from the local office in preparing his case; and of his opportunity to make inquiry at the local office about the availability of community legal resources which could provide representation at the hearing.

3. Appellant, in lieu of a personal appearance, may submit a written statement, under oath or affirmation, setting forth the facts of the case provided that the statement is submitted to the Department prior to or at the time of the hearing. All parties shall be ready and present with all witnesses and documents at the time and place specified in the notice of hearing, and shall be prepared at such time to dispose of all issues and questions involved in the appeal.

4. The hearing officer may take such action for the proper disposition of an appeal as he deems necessary, and on his own motion, or at the request of any interested party upon a showing of good cause disqualify himself, or may continue the hearing to a future time or reopen a hearing before a decision is final to take additional evidence. If an interested party fails to appear at a scheduled hearing, the hearing officer may adjourn the hearing to a later date or may make his decision upon record and such evidence as may be presented at the scheduled hearing. If, within ten days of the scheduled hearing, appellant files a written application requesting reopening of the proceedings and establishes good cause for failure to appear at the scheduled hearing, the hearing shall be rescheduled. Notice of the time, place, and purpose of any continued, reopened or rescheduled hearing shall be given to all interested parties.

C. Prehearing summary

1. A prehearing summary of the facts and grounds for the action taken shall be prepared and forwarded to the hearing officer no less than four days prior to the hearing.

2. The summary shall be provided to the appellant prior to the commencement of the hearing.

D. Subpoena of witnesses. The hearing officer may subpoena any witnesses or documents requested by the Department or claimant to be present at the hearing. The request shall be in writing and shall state the name and address of the witness and the nature of his testimony. The nature of the witnesses' testimony must be relevant to the issues of the hearing, otherwise the hearing officer may deny the request. The request for the issuance of a subpoena shall be made to give sufficient time, a minimum of three working days, prior to the hearing. A subpoena requiring the production of records and documents shall specifically describe them in detail and further set forth the name and address of the custodian thereof.

E. Review of file. In the presence of a Department representative, the appellant and/or his authorized representative shall be permitted to review, obtain or copy any Department record necessary for the proper presentation of the case.

F. Conduct of the hearing

1. Hearings shall be conducted in an orderly and dignified manner.

2. Hearings are opened, conducted and closed by the hearing officer who shall rule on the admissibility of evidence and shall direct the order of proof. He shall have power to administer oaths and affirmations, take depositions, certify to official acts and issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses, the production of books, papers, correspondence, memoranda and other records he deems necessary as evidence in connection with a hearing.

3. Evidence not related to the issue shall not be allowed to become a part of the record.

4. The hearing officer may, on his own motion, or at the request of the appellant or Department representative, exclude witnesses from the hearing room.

5. The worker, supervisor or other appropriate person may be designated Department representative for the hearing.

6. The appellant and Department representative may testify, present evidence, cross-examine witnesses and present arguments.

7. The appellant may appear for himself or be represented by an attorney or any other person he designates.

8. A full and complete record shall be kept of all proceedings in connection with an appeal, and such records shall be open for inspection by the claimant or his representative at a place accessible to him. A transcript of the proceedings need not, however, be made unless it is required for further proceedings. When a transcript has been made for further proceedings, a copy shall be furnished without cost to each interested party.

G. Hearing decision

1. The hearing decision shall be rendered exclusively on the evidence and testimony produced at the hearing, appropriate state and federal law, and Department rules governing the issues in dispute.

2. The decision shall set forth the pertinent facts involved, the conclusions drawn from such facts, the sections of applicable law or rule, the decision and the reasons thereof. A copy of such decision, together with an explanation of the appeal rights, shall be delivered or mailed to each interested party and their attorneys of record not more than 60 days from the date of filing the request for appeal, unless the delay was caused by the appellant.

3. In those cases where the local office must take additional action as a result of a decision, such action must be taken immediately.

4. All decisions in favor of the appellant apply retroactively to the date of the action being appealed, or to the date the hearing officer specifically finds appropriate.

5. When a hearing decision upholds the proposed action of reducing, suspending or terminating a grant, an overpayment is the result.

6. All hearing decisions will be made accessible to the public, subject to meeting the provision for safeguarding confidential information relating to the client.

7. Decision of the hearing officer will be the final decision of the Department unless a reconsideration is requested in accordance with subsection (I).

H. Withdrawal of appeal. An appeal may be withdrawn as follows:

1. Voluntary withdrawal. This may be accomplished by completing and signing the proper Department form or by submitting a letter properly signed.

2. Abandonment or involuntary withdrawal. This occurs when an appellant fails to appear at a scheduled hearing and within ten days thereof fails to request a rescheduled hearing or fails to appear at a rescheduled hearing which he has requested. A hearing may not be considered abandoned if the claimant provides notification up to the time of the hearing that he is unable, due to good cause, to keep the appointment and that he still wishes a hearing.

I. Reconsideration

1. An appellant, within ten calendar days after the decision was mailed or otherwise delivered to him, may request the Director to review the decision. The request shall be in writing and should set forth a statement of the grounds for review, and may be filed personally or by mail.

2. After receipt of an application for leave to appeal, the Director shall:

a. Deny the application, or

b. Remand the case for rehearing, specifying the nature of any additional evidence required and/or issues to be considered, or

c. Grant the application and decide the appeal on the record.

3. The Director shall promptly adopt his decision which shall be the final decision of the Department. A copy of the decision, together with a statement specifying the rights for judicial review, shall be distributed to each interested party.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R6-5-2405

Adopted effective March 1, 1978 (Supp. 78-2).