(a) Petition. Anyone against whom a complaint has been issued pursuant to 39 U.S.C 3008(d) may submit to the Manager a petition for hearing on the alleged violation. The petition must be in writing, signed by the petitioner or his or her attorney, and filed with the Manager on or before the 15th day after receipt of the complaint. The petition shall state the reasons why the petitioner believes the complaint to be erroneous. No petition received after the 15th day will be considered to have been filed on time, unless it was duly sent to the Manager via certified mail, deposited in the U.S. mail on or before the 15th day. The Manager will forward each timely petition to the Recorder through the Judicial Officer Department electronic filing system at https://uspsjoe.justware.com/justiceweb.

(b) Notice of hearing. Upon receiving a petition, the Recorder shall schedule a hearing for a date not later than 30 days after the date of receipt, issue and send a notice of hearing to the parties, and send a copy of the petition to the General Counsel of the U.S. Postal Service.

(c) Answer. The General Counsel shall file with the Recorder an answer to the petition within 15 days after the date of receiving a copy thereof. A certified copy of the material documents from the Manager's case file (i.e., of the PS Forms 1500, Application for Listing and/or Prohibitory Order, 2152, Prohibitory Order, and 2153, Complaint, underlying mail pieces, and pertinent return receipts) shall be appended to the answer.

(d) Filing. All documents required under this part must be filed using the electronic filing system (https://uspsjoe.justware.com/justiceweb) unless the presiding officer permits otherwise. Documents submitted using the electronic filing system are considered filed as of the date/time (Eastern Time) reflected in the system. Documents mailed to the Recorder are considered filed on the date mailed as evidenced by a United States Postal Service postmark. Filings by any other means are considered filed upon receipt by the Recorder of a complete copy of the filing during normal business hours. Normal business hours are between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday except holidays. If both parties are participating in the electronic filing system, separate service upon the opposing party is not required. Otherwise, documents shall be served personally or by mail on the opposing party, noting on the document filed, or on the transmitting letter, that a copy has been so furnished. The Recorder shall maintain a docket and the files in all proceedings.

(e) Summary Judgment. Upon motion of either the General Counsel or the petitioner, or on his or her own initiative, the presiding officer may find that the petition and answer present no genuine and material issues of fact requiring an evidentiary hearing, and thereupon may render an initial decision upholding or dismissing the complaint. The initial decision shall become the final agency decision if a timely appeal is not taken.

[52 FR 18912, May 20, 1987; 52 FR 20599, June 2, 1987, as amended at 59 FR 10752, Mar. 8, 1994; 62 FR 4459, Jan. 30, 1997; 63 FR 66053, Dec. 1, 1998; 81 FR 40194, June 21, 2016]