Oregon Statutes 183.452 – Representation of agencies at contested case hearings
(1) Agencies may, at their discretion, be represented at contested case hearings by the Attorney General.
Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 183.452
- Agency: means any state board, commission, department, or division thereof, or officer authorized by law to make rules or to issue orders, except those in the legislative and judicial branches. See Oregon Statutes 183.310
- Contested case: means a proceeding before an agency:
(A) In which the individual legal rights, duties or privileges of specific parties are required by statute or Constitution to be determined only after an agency hearing at which such specific parties are entitled to appear and be heard;
(B) Where the agency has discretion to suspend or revoke a right or privilege of a person;
(C) For the suspension, revocation or refusal to renew or issue a license where the licensee or applicant for a license demands such hearing; or
(D) Where the agency by rule or order provides for hearings substantially of the character required by ORS § 183. See Oregon Statutes 183.310
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
- Rule: means any agency directive, standard, regulation or statement of general applicability that implements, interprets or prescribes law or policy, or describes the procedure or practice requirements of any agency. See Oregon Statutes 183.310
(2) Notwithstanding ORS § 9.160, 9.320 and ORS Chapter 180, and unless otherwise authorized by another law, an agency may be represented at contested case hearings by an officer or employee of the agency if:
(a) The Attorney General has consented to the representation of the agency by an agency representative in the particular hearing or in the class of hearings that includes the particular hearing; and
(b) The agency, by rule, has authorized an agency representative to appear on its behalf in the particular type of hearing being conducted.
(3) An agency representative acting under the provisions of this section may not give legal advice to an agency, and may not present legal argument in contested case hearings, except to the extent authorized by subsection (4) of this section.
(4) The officer presiding at a contested case hearing in which an agency representative appears under the provisions of this section may allow the agency representative to present evidence, examine and cross-examine witnesses, and make arguments relating to the:
(a) Application of statutes and rules to the facts in the contested case;
(b) Actions taken by the agency in the past in similar situations;
(c) Literal meaning of the statutes or rules at issue in the contested case;
(d) Admissibility of evidence; and
(e) Proper procedures to be used in the contested case hearing.
(5) Upon judicial review, no limitation imposed under this section on an agency representative is the basis for reversal or remand of agency action unless the limitation resulted in substantial prejudice to a party.
(6) The Attorney General may prepare model rules for agency representatives authorized under this section. [1999 c.448 § 3]
183.452 was added to and made a part of 183.413 to 183.470 by legislative action but was not added to any other series. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.