NJAC 1:1-14.10 Interlocutory review

1:1-14.10 Interlocutory review  (a) Except for the special review procedures provided in N.J.A.C. 1:1-12.6 (emergency relief), and 1:1-12.5(e) (partial summary decision), an order or ruling may be reviewed interlocutorily by an agency head at the request of a party. (b) Any request for interlocutory review shall be made to the agency head and copies served on all parties no later than five working days from the receipt of the written order or oral ruling, whichever is rendered first. An opposing party may, within three days of receipt of the request, submit an objection to the agency head. A copy must be served on the party who requested review. Any request for interlocutory review or objection to a request shall be in writing by memorandum, letter or motion and shall include a copy of any written order or ruling or a summary of any oral order or ruling sought to be reviewed. Copies of all documents submitted shall be filed with the judge and Clerk. (c) Within 10 days of the request for interlocutory review, the agency head shall notify the parties and the Clerk whether the order or ruling will be reviewed. If the agency head does not so act within 10 days, the request for review shall be considered denied. Informal communication by telephone or in person to the parties or their representatives and to the Clerk within the 10 day period will satisfy this notice requirement, provided that a written communication or order promptly follows. (d) A party opposed to the grant of interlocutory review may, within three days of receiving notice that review was granted, submit to the agency head in writing arguments in favor of the order or ruling being reviewed. A copy shall be served on the party who requested review. (e) Where the agency head determines to conduct an interlocutory review, the agency head shall issue a decision, order or other disposition of the review at the earliest opportunity but no later than 20 days from receiving the request for review. Where the interests of justice require, the agency head shall conduct an interlocutory review on an expedited basis. Where the agency head does not issue an order within 20 days, the judges ruling shall be considered conditionally affirmed. The time period for disposition may be extended for good cause for an additional 20 days if both the agency head and the Director of the Office of Administrative Law concur. (f) Where the proceeding generating the request for interlocutory review has been sound recorded and the agency head requests the verbatim record, the Clerk shall furnish the original sound recording or a certified copy within one day of the request. The party requesting the interlocutory review shall provide the agency head with all other papers, materials, transcripts or parts of the record which pertain to the request for interlocutory review. (g) The time limits established in this section, with the exception of (e) above, may be extended by the agency head where the need for a delay is caused by honest mistake, accident, or any cause compatible with due diligence. (h) An agency heads determination to review interlocutorily an order or ruling shall not delay the scheduling or conduct of hearings, unless a postponement is necessary due to special requirements of the case, because of probable prejudice, or for other good cause. Either the presiding judge or the agency head may order a stay of the proceedings, either on their own or upon application. Applications for stays should be made in the first instance to the presiding judge. If denied, the application may be resubmitted to the agency head. Pending review by the agency head, a judge may conditionally proceed on an order or ruling in order to complete the evidential record in a case or to avoid disruption or delay in any ongoing or scheduled hearing. (i) Except as limited by (l) below and N.J.A.C. 1:1-18.4(a), any order or ruling reviewable interlocutorily is subject to review by the agency head after the judge renders the initial decision in the contested case, even if an application for interlocutory review: 1. Was not made; 2. Was made but the agency head declined to review the order or ruling; or 3. Was made and not considered by the agency head within the established time frame. (j) In the following matters as they relate to proceedings before the Office of Administrative Law, the Director is the agency head for purposes of interlocutory review: 1. Disqualification of a particular judge due to interest or any other reason which would preclude a fair and unbiased hearing, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-14.12; 2. Appearances of non-lawyer representatives, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-5.4; 3. Imposition of conditions and limitations upon non-lawyer representatives, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-5.5; 4. Sanctions under N.J.A.C. 1:1-14.4 or 14.14 and 14.15 consisting of the assessment of costs, expenses, or fines; 5. Disqualification of attorneys, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-5.3; 6. Establishment of a hearing location pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-9.1(b); and 7. Appearance of attorneys pro hac vice pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-5.2. (k) Any request for interlocutory review of those matters specified in (j) above should be addressed to the Director of the Office of Administrative Law with a copy to the agency head who transmitted the case to the Office of Administrative Law. Review shall proceed in accordance with (b) through (g) above. (l) Orders or rulings issued under (j)1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 above may only be appealed interlocutorily; a party may not seek review of such orders or rulings after the judge renders the initial decision in the contested case. (m) A judges determination to proceed on the record or to order a new hearing pursuant to N.J.A.C. 1:1-14.13(b) and (c) may only be appealed interlocutorily; a party may not seek review of such orders or rulings after the judge renders the initial decision in the contested case.