201 CMR 19.10 - The Hearing
(1) The conduct
of the hearing will encourage a full and complete disclosure of the
facts.
(2)
Arbitration
Hearing Record. The arbitrator shall record the hearing. Said
recording shall be the official record of the hearing and the parties may not
make independent recordings of the hearing. Copies of the official recording
may be obtained from OCABR for a nominal fee.
(3) The arbitrator shall administer an oath
or affirmation to each individual who testifies.
(4) The formal rules of evidence shall not
apply. The parties may introduce any relevant evidence that will assist the
arbitrator in making a decision. It shall, however, be in the arbitrator 's sole
discretion whether to allow such evidence and the arbitrator may exclude unduly
repetitious or clearly irrelevant evidence.
(5) The consumer or their representative will
present their evidence first, then the respondent-manufacturer or its
representative or lessor will present its evidence.
(6) The arbitrator shall allow each party to
question the other after his or her presentation and shall allow questions of
each witness after his or her testimony. The arbitrator may question any party
or witness at any time.
(7) Each
party is responsible for presenting all his or her evidence in a concise manner
on the day(s) of the hearing.
(8)
All written testimony shall include a statement signed by the witness under
oath that his or her testimony is true.
(9) The consumer shall bring the customized
wheelchair to the hearing unless the consumer provides a reasonable basis to
believe that it is inoperable or unsafe to operate. The arbitrator may, in his
or her discretion, examine the customized wheelchair.
(10) After a warning, the arbitrator may
terminate any hearing that becomes unmanageable due to the behavior of either
party and enter judgment by default against the party whose behavior made the
hearing unmanageable.
(11) The
arbitrator shall have discretion to allow a party to present its case by
telephone or other medium, upon a showing of good cause by the party making
such request, and provided that the party has given no less than two hours
advance notice to the arbitrator and to the other party. In such cases, the
party requesting the hearing by telephone or other medium shall pay all costs
associated therewith including, but not limited to, costs for long distance
calls, conference calls, and telephone amplification equipment.
(12) Unless the arbitrator receives a
consumer's written consent to a delayed decision, the arbitrator may keep the
record open only for additional evidence that the arbitrator requests if that
will not interfere with the timely rendering of a decision. Such additional
evidence shall be provided to both parties.
Notes
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