Section 2605.280  Case Management and Prehearing Conferences

a)         Upon motion by the Hearing Officer or any party, the Hearing Officer may direct the parties to attend a case management conference or prehearing conference at a mutually convenient time and place prior to the Administrative Hearing date for the purpose of:

1)         Simplifying the issues;

2)         Limiting the issues;

3)         Amending the Petition for Hearing or Notice of Charges, if necessary;

4)         Stipulating to facts and/or admissions;

5)         Limiting the number of witnesses or evidence;

6)         Mutually exchanging prepared testimony and exhibits; and

7)         Any other matters that aid in the timely resolution or simplification of the Administrative Hearing.

b)         Any agreements, understandings, or conclusions made at a case management conference or prehearing conference shall be in the form of a prehearing order signed by the Hearing Officer and all parties or representatives involved in the Administrative Hearing, and shall become a part of the Administrative Record.

c)         Unless otherwise precluded by law, any case may be disposed of by stipulation, agreed settlement, consent order, or default.  Any settlement must be signed by all parties involved. The settlement agreement shall be memorialized by an Order dismissing the case with prejudice. To the extent a settlement agreement requires approval by a federal agency or the Illinois Attorney General, as determined by the Department, the Hearing Officer may enter an Order dismissing the case with prejudice conditioned on receipt of all necessary external approvals.

(Source:  Amended at 43 Ill. Reg. 4056, effective March 19, 2019)