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Ohio Administrative Code (Last Updated: January 12, 2021) |
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4901 Public Utilities Commission (PUCO) - Administration and Director |
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Chapter4901-1. Administrative Provisions and Procedure |
4901-1-09. Ex parte discussion of cases
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After a case has been assigned a formal docket number, no commissioner or attorney examiner assigned to the case shall discuss the merits of the case with any party to the proceeding or a representative of a party, unless all parties have been notified and given the opportunity to be present or to participate by telephone, or a full disclosure of the communication insofar as it pertains to the subject matter of the case is made. When an ex parte discussion occurs, a representative of the party or parties participating in the discussion shall prepare a document identifying all the participants and the location of the discussion, and fully disclosing the communications made. Within two business days of the occurrence of the ex parte discussion, the document shall be provided to the commission's legal director or his designee or to an attorney examiner present at the discussion for review. Upon completion of the review, the final document with any necessary changes shall be filed with the commission's docketing division within two business days and the filer shall serve a copy upon the parties to the case and to each participant in the discussion. The document filed and served shall include the following language: Any participant in the discussion who believes that any representation made in this document is inaccurate or that the communications made during the discussion have not been fully disclosed shall prepare a letter explaining the participant's disagreement with the document and shall file the letter with the commission and serve the letter upon all parties and participants in the discussion within two business days of receipt of this document.