961.6—Filing, docketing and serving documents; computation of time; representation of parties.
(a) Filing.
All documents relating to the Debt Collection Act hearing proceedings must be filed by the employee or the General Counsel with the Recorder. (Normal Recorder office business hours are between 8:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., eastern standard or day-light saving time as appropriate during the year.) The Recorder will transmit a copy of each document filed to the other party, and the original to the Hearing Official.
(b) Docketing.
The Recorder will maintain a docket record of Debt Collection Act hearing petition proceedings and will assign each employee Petition a docket number. After notification of the docket number, the employee and General Counsel should refer to it on any further filings regarding the Petition.
(c) Time computation.
A filing period under the rules in this part excludes the day the period begins, and includes the last day of the period unless the last day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, in which event the period runs until the close of business on the next business day.
(d) Representation of parties.
After the filing of the Petition, further document transmittals for, or communications with, the Postmaster/Installation Head or Postal Service shall be through their representative, the General Counsel, or, if an appropriate notice of appearance is filed, the General Counsel's designee. If a notice of appearance by an attorney authorized to practice law in any of the United States or the District of Columbia or a territory of the United States is filed in behalf of an employee, further transmissions of documents and other communications with the employee shall be made through his or her attorney rather than directly with the employee.