12.1-31 - Hearing examiners; powers and duties; reports to be furnished to parties; responses by parties.
§ 12.1-31. Hearing examiners; powers and duties; reports to be furnished toparties; responses by parties.
The Commission may appoint by written order hearing examiners, whose dutiesshall be defined in such order and who shall have all the inquisitorialpowers and the right to require the appearance of witnesses and parties nowpossessed by the Commission. Hearing examiners may make either specialinvestigations and reports for the information of the Commission, or, if sodirected in such order, may conduct the hearing of any cause within thejurisdiction of the Commission, taking evidence upon such notice as isrequired. All hearing examiners shall report their findings to theCommission, and file therewith the testimony and exhibits received by them.The recommendations of such examiners shall be advisory only, and shall notpreclude the Commission from taking further evidence.
A copy of the examiner's report shall be furnished to all parties to theproceeding in which the report is filed. The parties shall be allowed areasonable time in which to respond and such responses shall become part ofthe record to be considered by the Commission in making a decision.
(Code 1950, § 12-46; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 157; 1978, c. 394; 1980, c. 247.)