§ 511.53 - Appeal from initial decision.

§ 511.53 Appeal from initial decision.

(a) Who may file notice of intention. Any party may appeal an Initial Decision to the Administrator provided that within ten (10) days after issuance of the Initial Decision such party files and serves a notice of intention to appeal.

(b) Appeal brief. The appeal shall be in the form of a brief, filed within forty (40) days after service of the Initial Decision, duly served upon all parties and participants. The appeal brief shall contain, in the order indicated, the following:

(1) A subject index of the matters in the brief, with page references, and a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), textbooks, statutes, and other material cited, with page references thereto;

(2) A concise statement of the case;

(3) A specification of the position urged;

(4) The argument, presenting clearly the points of fact and law relied upon in support of the position on each question, with specific page references to the record and the legal or other material relied upon; and

(5) A proposed form of order for the Administrator's consideration in lieu of the order contained in the Initial Decision.

(c) Answering brief. Within thirty (30) days after service of the appeal brief upon all parties and participants, any party may file an answering brief which shall also contain a subject index, with page references, and a table of cases (alphabetically arranged), textbooks, statutes, and other material cited, with page references thereto. Such brief shall present clearly the points of fact and law relied upon in support of the position taken on each question, with specific page references to the record and legal or other material relied upon.

(d) Participant's brief. Within thirty (30) days after service of the appeal brief upon all parties and participants, any participant may file an appeal brief which should contain a subject index, with page references, and a table of authorities being relied upon. Such brief shall present clearly the position taken by the participant on each question raised by the appellant(s).

(e) Cross appeal. If a timely notice of appeal is filed by a party, any other party may file a notice of cross-appeal within ten (10) days of the date on which the first notice of appeal was filed. Cross-appeals shall be included in the answering brief and shall conform to the requirements for form, content and filing specified in paragraph (c) of this section. If an appeal is noticed but not perfected, no cross-appeal shall be permitted and the notice of cross-appeal shall be deemed void.

(f) Reply brief. A reply brief shall be limited to rebuttal of matters in answering briefs, including matters raised in cross-appeals. A reply brief shall be filed and within fourteen (14) days after service of an answering brief, or on the day preceding the oral argument, whichever comes first.

(g) Oral argument. The purpose of an oral argument is to emphasize and clarify the issues. Any party may request oral argument. The Administrator may order oral argument upon request or upon his or her own initiative. All oral arguments shall be reported and transcribed.