§ 3010.304 - Scheduling order.

§ 3010.304 Scheduling order.

(a) When issued. Upon consideration of the outcome of the prehearing conference, if held, and a determination of the need for a public hearing, the Commission, or the presiding officer if one has been appointed, shall issue a scheduling order. The scheduling order may be combined with any other order or ruling that the Commission or the presiding officer may issue. The scheduling order may be periodically modified as warranted.

(b) Content of scheduling order. The content of the scheduling order shall be tailored to the specifics of the matter before the Commission, including any requirement for a public hearing. The Commission or the presiding officer shall consider scheduling the following:

(1) A deadline for conclusion of discovery on proponent's direct case;

(2) A deadline to request oral cross-examination of proponent's witnesses;

(3) A deadline for designation of written cross-examination on proponent's direct case;

(4) The time and date for a public hearing on proponent's direct case, or the date and procedures for entering a proponent's direct case into evidence in a hearing by written submission of material only;

(5) A deadline for parties other than the proponent to file testimony in support of, or in rebuttal to, the proponent's direct case;

(6) A deadline for conclusion of discovery on testimony supporting or rebutting the proponent's direct case;

(7) A deadline to request oral cross-examination of other parties' witnesses;

(8) A deadline for designation of written cross-examination on other parties' testimony;

(9) The time and date for a public hearing on other parties' testimony, or the date and procedures for entering other parties' testimony in a hearing by written submission of material only;

(10) A deadline for the proponent to file surrebuttal testimony to other parties' direct cases;

(11) A deadline for conclusion of discovery on any proponent's surrebuttal rebuttal testimony;

(12) A deadline to request oral cross-examination of proponent's surrebuttal witnesses;

(13) A deadline for designation of written cross-examination on proponent's surrebuttal testimony;

(14) The time and date for a public hearing on a proponent's surrebuttal testimony, or the date and procedures for entering a proponent's surrebuttal testimony in a hearing by written submission of material only;

(15) A deadline for filing briefs;

(16) A deadline for filing reply briefs; and

(17) A deadline for requesting oral argument.

(c) Witness availability. Parties shall promptly file notice of potential witness unavailability to appear at any public hearing as soon as known. Witness unavailability will be considered when establishing the initial, or any subsequent, procedural schedules. Once the initial scheduling order is issued, but no later than ten calendar days prior to a scheduled hearing, parties may file notice of preferences for dates and times of witness appearance at any public hearing.

(d) Subsequent scheduling of public hearings. At the adjournment of any public hearing (including prehearing conferences), the Commission, or the presiding officer if appointed, shall announce when the hearing will reconvene. If an announcement is not made, the Commission or the presiding officer shall announce the time, date, and location of the subsequent hearing, or prehearing conference in writing by notice, order, or presiding officer ruling.