(a) Commencement of voluntary decisional proceeding. Where complainant and respondent in the complaint and answer have elected the voluntary decisional procedure pursuant to subpart C of these rules and the complainant has paid the filing fee required by §12.25 of these rules, the Director of the Office of Proceedings shall, if in his opinion the facts warrant taking such action, forward the pleadings and all materials of record to the Proceedings Clerk for a proceeding to be conducted in accordance with subpart C of these rules. The Proceedings Clerk shall forthwith notify the parties of such action. Such notification shall be accompanied by an order issued by the Proceedings Clerk requiring the parties to complete all discovery, as provided in subpart B of these rules, within 50 days thereafter. A voluntary decisional proceeding commences upon service of such notification and order. As soon as practicable after service of such notification, the Proceedings Clerk shall assign the case to a Judgment Officer for a final decision.

(b) Commencement of summary decisional proceeding. Where the amount claimed as damages, exclusive of interest and costs, in the complaint or in counterclaim does not exceed $30,000, and either a complainant or a respondent in the complaint, answer, or reply, has elected the summary decisional procedure pursuant to subpart D of these rules, and has paid the filing fee required by §12.25, the Director of the Office of Proceedings shall, if in his opinion the facts warrant taking such action, forward the pleadings and all materials of record to the Proceedings Clerk for a proceeding to be conducted in accordance with subpart D of these rules. The Proceedings Clerk shall forthwith notify the parties of such action. Such notification shall be accompanied by an order issued by the Proceedings Clerk requiring the parties to complete all discovery, as provided in subpart B of these rules, within 50 days thereafter. A summary decisional proceeding commences upon service of such notification. As soon as practicable after service of such notification, the Proceedings Clerk shall assign the case to a Judgment Officer for disposition.

(c) Commencement of formal decisional proceeding. Where the amount claimed as damages in the complaint or as counterclaims exceeds $30,000, exclusive of interest and costs, and either a complainant or a respondent in the complaint, answer or reply, has elected the formal decisional procedure pursuant to subpart E of this part, and has paid the filing fee required by §12.25, the Director of the Office of Proceedings shall, if in his opinion the facts warrant taking such action, forward the pleadings and the materials of record to the Proceedings Clerk for a proceeding to be conducted in accordance with subpart E of this part. The Proceedings Clerk shall forthwith notify the parties of such action. Such notification shall be accompanied by an order issued by the Proceedings Clerk requiring the parties to complete all discovery, as provided in subpart B of this part, within 50 days thereafter. A formal decisional proceeding commences upon service of such notification and order. As soon as practicable after service of such notification, the Proceedings Clerk shall assign the case to a Judgment Officer. All provisions of this part that refer to and grant authority to or impose obligations upon an Administrative Law Judge shall be read as referring to and granting authority to and imposing obligations upon the Judgment Officer.

[49 FR 6621, Feb. 22, 1984, as amended at 59 FR 9637, Mar. 1, 1994; 76 FR 63188, Oct. 12, 2011]