14 C.F.R. Subpart D—Rules of Practice for FAA Hearings
Title 14 - Aeronautics and Space
This subpart applies to proceedings in which a hearing has been requested in accordance with §§13.19(c)(5), 13.20(c), 13.20(d), 13.75(a)(2), 13.75(b), or 13.81(e). [Amdt. 13–18, 53 FR 34655, Sept. 7, 1988] Any party to a proceeding under this subpart may appear and be heard in person or by attorney. (a) A request for hearing must be made in writing to the Hearing Docket, Room 924A, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20591. It must describe briefly the action proposed by the FAA, and must contain a statement that a hearing is requested. A copy of the request for hearing and a copy of the answer required by paragraph (b) of this section must be served on the official who issued the notice of proposed action. (b) An answer to the notice of proposed action must be filed with the request for hearing. All allegations in the notice not specifically denied in the answer are deemed admitted. (c) Within 15 days after service of the copy of the request for hearing, the official who issued the notice of proposed action forwards a copy of that notice, which serves as the complaint, to the Hearing Docket. [Doc. No. 18884, 44 FR 63723, Nov. 5, 1979, as amended by Amdt. 13–19, 54 FR 39290, Sept. 25, 1989] Any Hearing Officer may— (a) Give notice concerning, and hold, prehearing conferences and hearings; (b) Administrator oaths and affirmations; (c) Examine witnesses; (d) Adopt procedures for the submission of evidence in written form; (e) Issue subpoenas and take depositions or cause them to be taken; (f) Rule on offers of proof; (g) Receive evidence; (h) Regulate the course of the hearing; (i) Hold conferences, before and during the hearing, to settle and simplify issues by consent of the parties; (j) Dispose of procedural requests and similar matters; and (k) Issue decisions, make findings of fact, make assessments, and issue orders, as appropriate. If disqualified for any reason, the Hearing Officer shall withdraw from the case.
Title 14: Aeronautics and Space
PART 13—INVESTIGATIVE AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
Subpart D—Rules of Practice for FAA Hearings
§ 13.31 Applicability.
§ 13.33 Appearances.
§ 13.35 Request for hearing.
§ 13.37 Hearing Officer's powers.
§ 13.39 Disqualification of Hearing Officer.
§ 13.41 [Reserved]
§ 13.43 Service and filing of pleadings, motions, and documents.
(a) Copies of all pleadings, motions, and documents filed with the Hearing Docket must be served upon all parties to the proceedings by the person filing them.
(b) Service may be made by personal delivery or by mail.
(c) A certificate of service shall accompany all documents when they are tendered for filing and shall consist of a certificate of personal delivery or a certificate of mailing, executed by the person making the personal delivery or mailing the document.
(d) Whenever proof of service by mail is made, the date of mailing or the date as shown on the postmark shall be the date of service, and where personal service is made, the date of personal delivery shall be the date of service.
(e) The date of filing is the date the document is actually received.
§ 13.44 Computation of time and extension of time.
(a) In computing any period of time prescribed or allowed by this subpart, the date of the act, event, default, notice or order after which the designated period of time begins to run is not to be included in the computation. The last day of the period so computed is to be included unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday for the FAA, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is neither a Saturday, Sunday nor a legal holiday.
(b) Upon written request filed with the Hearing Docket and served upon all parties, and for good cause shown, a Hearing Officer may grant an extension of time to file any documents specified in this subpart.
§ 13.45 Amendment of notice and answer.
At any time more than 10 days before the date of hearing, any party may amend his or her notice, answer, or other pleading, by filing the amendment with the Hearing Officer and serving a copy of it on each other party. After that time, amendments may be allowed only in the discretion of the Hearing Officer. If an amendment to an initial pleading has been allowed, the Hearing Officer shall allow the other parties a reasonable opportunity to answer.
§ 13.47 Withdrawal of notice or request for hearing.
At any time before the hearing, the FAA counsel may withdraw the notice of proposed action, and the party requesting the hearing may withdraw the request for hearing.
§ 13.49 Motions.
(a) Motion to dismiss for insufficiency. A respondent who requests a formal hearing may, in place of an answer, file a motion to dismiss for failure of the allegations in the notice of proposed action to state a violation of the FA Act or of this chapter or to show lack of qualification of the respondent. If the Hearing Officer denies the motion, the respondent shall file an answer within 10 days.
(b) [Reserved]
(c) Motion for more definite statement. The certificate holder may, in place of an answer, file a motion that the allegations in the notice be made more definite and certain. If the Hearing Officer grants the motion, the FAA counsel shall comply within 10 days after the date it is granted. If the Hearing Officer denies the motion the certificate holder shall file an answer within 10 days after the date it is denied.
(d) Motion for judgment on the pleadings. After the pleadings are closed, either party may move for a judgment on the pleadings.
(e) Motion to strike. Upon motion of either party, the Hearing Officer may order stricken, from any pleadings, any insufficient allegation or defense, or any immaterial, impertinent, or scandalous matter.
(f) Motion for production of documents. Upon motion of any party showing good cause, the Hearing Officer may, in the manner provided by Rule 34, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, order any party to produce any designated document, paper, book, account, letter, photograph, object, or other tangible thing, that is not privileged, that constitutes or contains evidence relevant to the subject matter of the hearings, and that is in the party's possession, custody, or control.
(g) Consolidation of motions. A party who makes a motion under this section shall join with it all other motions that are then available to the party. Any objection that is not so raised is considered to be waived.
(h) Answers to motions. Any party may file an answer to any motion under this section within 5 days after service of the motion.
§ 13.51 Intervention.
Any person may move for leave to intervene in a proceeding and may become a party thereto, if the Hearing Officer, after the case is sent to the Hearing Officer for hearing, finds that the person may be bound by the order to be issued in the proceedings or has a property or financial interest that may not be adequately represented by existing parties, and that the intervention will not unduly broaden the issues or delay the proceedings. Except for good cause shown, a motion for leave to intervene may not be considered if it is filed less than 10 days before the hearing.
§ 13.53 Depositions.
After the respondent has filed a request for hearing and an answer, either party may take testimony by deposition in accordance with section 1004 of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (49 U.S.C. 1484) or Rule 26, Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
§ 13.55 Notice of hearing.
The Hearing Officer shall set a reasonable date, time, and place for the hearing, and shall give the parties adequate notice thereof and of the nature of the hearing. Due regard shall be given to the convenience of the parties with respect to the place of the hearing.
§ 13.57 Subpoenas and witness fees.
(a) The Hearing Officer to whom a case is assigned may, upon application by any party to the proceeding, issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary or tangible evidence at a hearing or for the purpose of taking depositions. However, the application for producing evidence must show its general relevance and reasonable scope. This paragraph does not apply to the attendance of FAA employees or to the production of documentary evidence in the custody of such an employee at a hearing.
(b) A person who applies for the production of a document in the custody of an FAA employee must follow the procedure in §13.49(f). A person who applies for the attendance of an FAA employee must send the application, in writing, to the Hearing Officer setting forth the need for that employee's attendance.
(c) A witness in a proceeding under this subpart is entitled to the same fees and mileage as is paid to a witness in a court of the United States under comparable circumstances. The party at whose instance the witness is subpoenaed or appears shall pay the witness fees.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, the FAA pays the witness fees and mileage if the Hearing Officer who issued the subpoena determines, on the basis of a written request and good cause shown, that—
(1) The presence of the witness will materially advance the proceeding; and
(2) The party at whose instance the witness is subpoenaed would suffer a serious hardship if required to pay the witness fees and mileage.
§ 13.59 Evidence.
(a) Each party to a hearing may present the party's case or defense by oral or documentary evidence, submit evidence in rebuttal, and conduct such cross-examination as may be needed for a full disclosure of the facts.
(b) Except with respect to affirmative defenses and orders of denial, the burden of proof is upon the FAA counsel.
(c) The Hearing Officer may order information contained in any report or document filed or in any testimony given pursuant to this subpart withheld from public disclosure when, in the judgment of the Hearing Officer, disclosure would adversely affect the interests of any person and is not required in the public interest or is not otherwise required by statute to be made available to the public. Any person may make written objection to the public disclosure of such information, stating the ground for such objection.
§ 13.61 Argument and submittals.
The Hearing Officer shall give the parties adequate opportunity to present arguments in support of motions, objections, and the final order. The Hearing Officer may determine whether arguments are to be oral or written. At the end of the hearing the Hearing Officer may, in the discretion of the Hearing Officer, allow each party to submit written proposed findings and conclusions and supporting reasons for them.
§ 13.63 Record.
The testimony and exhibits presented at a hearing, together with all papers, requests, and rulings filed in the proceedings are the exclusive basis for the issuance of an order. Either party may obtain a transcript from the official reporter upon payment of the fees fixed therefor.
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