(a) Availability. The Director may, at any time, direct that any matter be submitted to the Director for review. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, the hearing officer may, upon the hearing officer’s motion or upon the motion of any party, certify any matter for interlocutory review by the Director. This section is the exclusive remedy for review of a hearing officer’s ruling or order prior to the Director’s consideration of the entire proceeding.

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(b) Procedure. Any party’s motion for certification of a ruling or order for interlocutory review must be filed with the hearing officer within seven days of service of the ruling or order, must specify the ruling or order or parts thereof for which interlocutory review is sought, must attach any other portions of the record on which the moving party relies, and must otherwise comply with § 1081.205. Notwithstanding § 1081.205, any response to such a motion must be filed within seven days of service of the motion. The hearing officer must issue a ruling on the motion within seven days of the deadline for filing a response.

(c) Certification process. Unless the Director directs otherwise, a ruling or order may not be submitted to the Director for interlocutory review unless the hearing officer, upon the hearing officer’s motion or upon the motion of a party, certifies the ruling or order in writing. The hearing officer will not certify a ruling or order unless:

(1) The ruling or order would compel testimony of Bureau officers or employees, or those from another governmental agency, or the production of documentary evidence in the custody of the Bureau or another governmental agency;

(2) The ruling or order involves a motion for disqualification of the hearing officer pursuant to § 1081.105(c)(2);

(3) The ruling or order suspended or barred an individual from appearing before the Bureau pursuant to § 1081.107(c); or

(4) Upon motion by a party, the hearing officer is of the opinion that:

(i) The ruling or order involves a controlling question of law as to which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion; and

(ii) An immediate review of the ruling or order is likely to materially advance the completion of the proceeding or subsequent review will be an inadequate remedy.

(d) Interlocutory review. A party whose motion for certification has been denied by the hearing officer may petition the Director for interlocutory review.

(e) Director review. The Director will determine whether or not to review a ruling or order certified under this section or the subject of a petition for interlocutory review. Interlocutory review is generally disfavored. The Director may decline to review a ruling or order certified by a hearing officer pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section or the petition of a party who has been denied certification if the Director determines that interlocutory review is not warranted or appropriate under the circumstances, in which case the Director may summarily deny the petition. If the Director determines to grant the review, the Director will review the matter and issue a ruling and order in an expeditious fashion, consistent with the Bureau’s other responsibilities.

(f) Proceedings not stayed. The filing of a motion requesting that the hearing officer certify any of the hearing officer’s prior rulings or orders for interlocutory review or a petition for interlocutory review filed with the Director, and the grant of any such review, will not stay proceedings before the hearing officer unless the hearing officer, or the Director, so orders. The Director will not consider a motion for a stay unless the motion was first been made to the hearing officer.