CFR > Title 7 - Agriculture > SUBTITLE A—Office of the Secretary of Agriculture > PART 1—ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS > SUBPART L—Procedures Related to Administrative Hearings Under the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act of 1986 (§1.301 to §1.346) > 1.320—Prehearing conferences.

1.320—Prehearing conferences.

(a) The ALJ may schedule a prehearing conference at a reasonable time in advance of the hearing and may schedule additional prehearing conferences as appropriate.
(b) The ALJ may conduct any prehearing conference in person or by telephone.
(c) The ALJ may use prehearing conferences to discuss the following matters:
(1) Simplification of the issues;
(2) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings, including the need for a more definite statement;
(3) Stipulations, admissions of fact or as to the contents and authenticity of documents;
(4) Whether the parties can agree to submission of the case on a stipulated record;
(5) Whether a party chooses to waive appearance at an oral hearing and to submit only documentary evidence (subject to the objection of other parties) and written argument.
(6) Limitation of the number of witnesses;
(7) Scheduling dates for the exchange of witness lists and of proposed exhibits;
(8) Discovery;
(9) The time and place for the hearing; and
(10) Such other matters as may tend to expedite the fair and just disposition of the proceedings.
(d) The ALJ shall issue an order containing all matters agreed upon by the parties or ordered by the ALJ at a prehearing conference.