[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 24, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 24CFR1720.155]

[Page 74]
 
                 TITLE 24--HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
 
 CHAPTER X--OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR HOUSING--FEDERAL HOUSING 
 COMMISSIONER, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (INTERSTATE 
                    LAND SALES REGISTRATION PROGRAM)
 
PART 1720_FORMAL PROCEDURES AND RULES OF PRACTICE--Table of Contents
 
                   Subpart D_Adjudicatory Proceedings
 
Sec.  1720.155  Ex parte communications.

    (a) No person shall communicate with an administrative law judge or 
an appeals officer either directly or indirectly concerning any pending 
proceeding unless prior to or simultaneously with such communication its 
contents are disclosed in detail to all persons interested in the 
proceeding; nor shall an administrative law judge or appeals officer 
request or consider any such unauthorized ex parte communication. This 
prohibition shall not apply to a simple request for information 
respecting the status of the proceeding, nor to any ex parte 
communication expressly authorized by these rules.
    (b) Any administrative law judge or appeals officer, who receives an 
ex parte communication which the judge knows or has reason to believe is 
unauthorized, shall promptly place the communication, or its substance, 
in the public file and shall inform all persons interested in the 
proceeding of its existence and general contents. Facts or arguments so 
communicated shall not be taken into account in deciding any matter in 
issue unless such facts or arguments shall be brought properly before 
the administrative law judge.
    (c) Opportunity to answer allegations or contentions contained in an 
unauthorized ex parte communication may be afforded any interested 
person upon motion for leave to do so, wherever such leave will operate 
to assure a fair hearing or decision.