26 NCAC 03 .0111             CONSOLIDATION OF CASES

(a)  The Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Hearings may order a joint hearing of any matters at issue in contested cases involving common questions of law or fact or multiple proceedings involving the same or related parties, or may order the cases consolidated or make other orders to reduce costs or delay in the proceedings.

(b)  A party requesting consolidation shall serve a petition for consolidation on all parties to the cases to be consolidated and shall file the original with the Office of Administrative Hearings, together with a Certificate of Service showing service on all parties as herein required.  Any party objecting to the petition shall serve and file his objections within 10 days after service of the petition for consolidation.

(c)  Upon determining whether cases should be consolidated, the Chief Administrative Law Judge shall serve a written order on all parties which contains a description of the cases for consolidation and the reasons for the decision.

(d)  Nothing contained in this Rule shall be deemed to prohibit the parties from stipulating and agreeing to a consolidation which shall be granted upon submission of a written stipulation signed by all the parties to the Chief Administrative Law Judge.

(e)  Following receipt of a notice of or order for consolidation, any party may petition for severance by serving it on all other parties and filing it with the Office of Administrative Hearings at least seven days prior to the first scheduled hearing date.  If the Chief Administrative Law Judge finds that the consolidation will prejudice any party, he shall order the severance or other relief which will prevent the prejudice from occurring.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 150B‑23; 150B‑31;

Eff. August 1, 1986;

Amended Eff. January 1, 1987; September 1, 1986;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. July 23, 2016.