Tennessee § 6-54-1003 - Communications by administrative hearing officer and parties in contested cases.

§ 6-54-1003. Communications by administrative hearing officer and parties in contested cases.

Unless required for the disposition of ex parte matters specifically authorized by statute, an administrative hearing officer presiding over a contested case proceeding may not communicate, directly or indirectly, regarding any issue in the proceeding, while the proceeding is pending, with any person without notice and opportunity for all parties to participate in the communication. Notwithstanding subsection (a), an administrative hearing officer may communicate with municipal employees or officials regarding a matter pending before the administrative body or may receive aid from staff assistants, members of the staff of the city attorney or a licensed attorney, if such persons do not receive ex parte communications of a type that the administrative hearing officer would be prohibited from receiving, and do not furnish, augment, diminish or modify the evidence in the record. Unless required for the disposition of ex parte matters specifically authorized by statute, no party to a contested case, and no other person may communicate, directly or indirectly, in connection with any issue in that proceeding, while the proceeding is pending, with any person serving as an administrative hearing officer without notice and opportunity for all parties to participate in the communication. If, before serving as an administrative hearing officer in a contested case, a person receives an ex parte communication of a type that may not properly be received while serving, the person, promptly after starting to serve, shall disclose the communication in the manner prescribed in subsection (e). An administrative hearing officer who receives an ex parte communication in violation of this section shall place on the record of the pending matter all written communications received, all written responses to the communications, and a memorandum stating the substance of all oral communications received, all responses made, and the identity of each person from whom the person received an ex parte communication, and shall advise all parties that these matters have been placed on the record. Any party desiring to rebut the ex parte communication shall be allowed to do so, upon requesting the opportunity for rebuttal within ten (10) business days after notice of the communication. Acts 2010, ch. 1128, § 1.