CFR > Title 39 - Postal Service > CHAPTER I—UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE > SUBCHAPTER N—PROCEDURES (parts 912 to 966) > PART 966—RULES OF PRACTICE IN PROCEEDINGS RELATIVE TO ADMINISTRATIVE OFFSETS INITIATED AGAINST FORMER EMPLOYEES OF THE POSTAL SERVICE > 966.8—Authority and responsibilities of Hearing Official or Judicial Officer.

966.8—Authority and responsibilities of Hearing Official or Judicial Officer.

(a) In processing a case under this part, the Hearing Official's authority includes, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) Ruling on all offers, motions, or requests by the parties;
(2) Issuing any notices, orders, or memoranda to the parties concerning the hearing procedures;
(3) Conducting telephone conferences with the parties to expedite the proceedings (a memorandum of a telephone conference will be transmitted to both parties);
(4) Determining if an oral hearing is necessary, the type of oral hearing that would be appropriate, and setting the place, date, and time for such hearing;
(5) Administering oaths or affirmations to witnesses;
(6) Conducting the hearing in a manner to maintain discipline and decorum while assuring that relevant, reliable, and probative evidence is elicited on the issues in dispute, and that irrelevant, immaterial, or repetitious evidence is excluded;
(7) Establishing the record in the case;
(8) Issuing an initial decision or one on remand; and
(9) Granting, at the request of either party, reasonable time extensions.
(b) The Judicial Officer, in addition to possessing such authority as is described elsewhere in this part, shall possess all of the authority and responsibilities of a Hearing Official.