[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 45, Volume 1] [Revised as of October 1, 2004] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 45CFR160.534] [Page 711-712] TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE SUBTITLE A--DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PART 160_GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS--Table of Contents Subpart E_Civil Money Penalties: Procedures for Investigations, Imposition of Penalties, and Hearings Sec. 160.534 Prehearing conferences. (a) The ALJ must schedule at least one prehearing conference, and may schedule additional prehearing conferences as appropriate, upon reasonable notice to the parties. (b) The ALJ may use prehearing conferences to discuss the following-- (1) Simplification of the issues; (2) The necessity or desirability of amendments to the pleadings, including the need for a more definite statement; (3) Stipulations and admissions of fact or as to the contents and authenticity of documents; (4) Whether the parties can agree to submission of the case on a stipulated record; (5) Whether a party chooses to waive appearance at an oral hearing and to submit only documentary evidence (subject to the objection of the other party) and written argument; (6) Limitation of the number of witnesses; (7) Scheduling dates for the exchange of witness lists and of proposed exhibits; (8) Discovery of documents as permitted by this subpart; (9) The time and place for the hearing; (10) The potential for the settlement of the case by the parties; and (11) Other matters as may tend to encourage the fair, just and expeditious [[Page 712]] disposition of the proceedings, including the protection of privacy of individually identifiable health information that may be submitted into evidence, if appropriate. (c) The ALJ must issue an order containing the matters agreed upon by the parties or ordered by the ALJ at a prehearing conference.