[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 34, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 34CFR21.44]

[Page 45]
 
                           TITLE 34--EDUCATION
 
PART 21_EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE--Table of Contents
 
     Subpart E_What Procedures Are Used in Considering Applications?
 
Sec. 21.44  Further proceedings.

    (a) The adjudicative officer shall make the determination of an 
award on the basis of the written record.
    (b)(1) However, the adjudicative officer may order further 
proceedings on his or her own initiative or at the request of the 
applicant or the Department's counsel.
    (2) The adjudicative officer may order further proceedings only if 
he or she determines that those proceedings are necessary for full and 
fair resolution of issues arising from the application.
    (3) If further proceedings are ordered, the adjudicative officer 
shall determine the scope of those proceedings, which may include such 
proceedings as informal conferences, oral arguments, additional written 
submissions, discovery, or an evidentiary hearing.
    (4) An adjudicative officer may not order discovery or an 
evidentiary hearing for the issue of whether or not the Department's 
position was substantially justified.
    (c) If the applicant or the Department's counsel requests the 
adjudicative officer to order further proceedings, the request must--
    (1) Specify the information sought or the disputed issues; and
    (2) Explain why the additional proceedings are necessary to obtain 
that information or resolve those issues.

(Authority: 5 U.S.C. 504(a)(3) and (c)(1))