Section R7-2-1182. Rehearing of Decisions

A.      Procedure; grounds. A decision of the hearing officer may be vacated and new hearing granted on motion of the aggrieved party for any of the following causes materially affecting the party’s rights:

1.        Irregularity in the proceedings of the hearing officer or prevailing party, or  any order or abuse of discretion, whereby the moving party was deprived of a fair hearing.

2.        Misconduct of the prevailing party.

3.        Accident or surprise not preventable by ordinary pru- dence.

4.        Material evidence, newly discovered, which despite rea- sonable diligence was not discovered and produced at the hearing.

5.        Excessive or insufficient damages or penalties.

6.        Error of law occurring at the hearing or during the prog- ress of the proceeding.

7.        That the findings of fact or decision is not justified by the evidence or is contrary to law.

B.       Scope. A rehearing may be granted to all or any of the parties and on all or part of the issues in the proceeding for any of the reasons for which rehearings are authorized by law or rule of court. On a motion for a rehearing, the hearing officer may open the decision, take additional testimony, amend findings of fact and conclusions of law or make new findings and con- clusions, and direct the entry of a new decision.

C.      Contents of motion; amendment; rulings reviewable.

1.        The motion for rehearing shall be in writing, shall specify generally the grounds upon which the motion is based, and may be amended at any time before it is ruled upon by the hearing officer.

2.        Upon the general ground that the hearing officer erred in admitting or rejecting evidence, the hearing officer shall review all rulings during the hearing upon objections to evidence.

3.        Upon the general ground that the findings of fact or deci- sion are not justified by the evidence, the hearing officer shall review the sufficiency of the evidence.

D.      Time for motion for rehearing. A motion for rehearing shall be filed not later than 15 days after service of the decision upon the party.

E.       Time for serving affidavits. When a motion for rehearing is based upon affidavits they shall be served with the motion. The opposing party has 10 days after such service within which to serve opposing affidavits, which period may be extended for an additional period not exceeding 20 days either by the hearing officer for good cause shown or by the parties by written stipulation. The hearing officer may permit reply affidavits.

F.       On initiative of hearing officer. Not later than 15 days after the date of the decision, the hearing officer may order a rehearing for any reason for which it might have granted a rehearing on motion of a party. After giving the parties notice and an oppor- tunity to be heard on the matter, the hearing officer may grant a motion for a rehearing, timely served, for a reason not stated

in the motion. In either case, the hearing officer shall specify in the order the grounds therefor.

G.      Questions to be considered in rehearing. A rehearing, if granted, shall be only a rehearing of the question or questions with respect to which the decision is found erroneous, if sepa- rable. If a rehearing is ordered because the damages or penal- ties are excessive or inadequate and granted solely for that reason, the decision shall be set aside only in respect of the damages or penalties, and shall stand in all other respects.

H.      Motion on ground of excessive or inadequate damages. When a motion for rehearing is made upon the ground that the dam- ages or penalties awarded are either excessive or insufficient, the hearing officer may grant the rehearing conditionally upon the filing within a fixed period of time, not to exceed 15 days, of a statement by the party adversely affected by reduction or increase of damages or penalties accepting that amount of damages or penalties which the hearing officer shall designate. If such a statement is filed with the prescribed time, the motion for rehearing shall be regarded as denied as of the date of such filing. If no statement is filed, the motion for rehearing shall be regarded as granted as of the date of the expiration of the time period within which a statement may have been filed. No fur- ther written order shall be required to make an order granting or denying the rehearing final. If the conditional order of the hearing officer requires a reduction of or increase in damages or penalties, then the rehearing will be granted in respect of the damages or penalties only and the decision shall stand in all other respects.

I.        Number of motions for rehearing. Not more than two motions for rehearing shall be granted to any party in the same action.

J.        Specifications of grounds of rehearing in order. An order granting a motion for rehearing shall specify with particularity the ground or grounds on which the rehearing is granted.

K.      Final decision.

1.        If a motion for rehearing is denied, the final decision denying the motion for rehearing shall be sent within five days after the denial to all parties by any means evidenc- ing receipt. A final decision shall contain a paragraph substantially as follows: “This is the final decision of the