N.H. Admin. Code § Rko 202.05 - Location and Method of Proceedings

(a) Proceedings before the office, including conferences and hearings, shall be held live, in-person, in Concord, NH, provided that a party or intervenor may move to alter the method or location of proceedings.

(b) The ombudsman shall grant a motion to alter the method or location of proceedings, or shall alter them sua sponte, if the ombudsman concludes that to do so would be more beneficial to the following than would the application of standard processes:

(1) The efficient accomplishment of the work of the office; and

(2) The fair and effective resolution of the case.

(c) In making a determination under (b) above, the ombudsman shall consider:

(1) The distance from Concord to the normal location of witnesses;

(2) The location of relevant documents and exhibits;

(3) The availability of appropriate technology and its relative ease of use by office personnel;

(4) The perceived importance of conducting in-person proceedings;

(5) Costs to witnesses and to the ombudsman;

(6) The perceived importance of maintaining uniform, standard office procedures;

(7) The impact that an alteration of standard procedures in the case at hand might have upon other cases or the office's work prioritizations; and

(8) Any other matter which may bear upon whether or not the alteration of standard procedures would be beneficial to the operations of the office, if allowed in the particular case.

Notes

N.H. Admin. Code § Rko 202.05

Derived from Number 19, Filed May 9, 2024, Proposed by #13921, Effective 5/20/2024.