The Corrections and Work/Family Services units do not usually hold prehearing conferences. Worker's compensation claims do not usually involve a prehearing conference unless the injured worker is not represented by an attorney. ALJs in the General Government unit often conduct at least one prehearing conference, often by telephone. All parties are required to appear at the conference. If it is known that a party cannot appear, they must contact the ALJ promptly to ask for a change.
The purposes of a prehearing conference are to:
- clarify any misunderstandings;
- agree on as many of the undisputed facts as possible;
- to identify the real disagreements to be addressed;
- to set a timetable to prepare for and schedule the hearing.
If the parties have not already discussed the possibility of settling the case without a hearing, they may be encouraged to do that.