(a)

(1) Within twenty-two (22) days after date of service of the initial decision, unless a shorter period is fixed under §502.103, any party may file a memorandum excepting to any conclusions, findings, or statements contained in such decision, and a brief in support of such memorandum. Such exceptions and brief shall constitute one document, shall indicate with particularity alleged errors, shall indicate transcript page and exhibit number when referring to the record, and shall be served on all parties pursuant to subpart H of this part.

(2) Any adverse party may file and serve a reply to such exceptions within twenty-two (22) days after the date of service thereof, which shall contain appropriate transcript and exhibit references.

(3) Whenever the officer who presided at the reception of the evidence, or other qualified officer, makes an initial decision, such decision shall become the decision of the Commission thirty (30) days after date of service thereof (and the Secretary shall so notify the parties), unless within such 30-day period, or greater time as enlarged by the Commission for good cause shown, request for review is made in exceptions filed or a determination to review is made by the Commission on its own initiative.

(4) A decision or order of dismissal by an administrative law judge shall only be considered final for purposes of judicial review if the party has first sought review by the Commission pursuant to this section.

(5) Upon the filing of exceptions to, or review of, an initial decision, such decision shall become inoperative until the Commission determines the matter.

(6) Where exceptions are filed to, or the Commission reviews, an initial decision, the Commission, except as it may limit the issues upon notice or by rule, will have all the powers which it would have in making the initial decision. Whenever the Commission shall determine to review an initial decision on its own initiative, notice of such intention shall be served upon the parties.

(7) The time periods for filing exceptions and replies to exceptions, prescribed by this section, shall not apply to proceedings conducted under §502.75.

(b)

(1) If an administrative law judge has granted a motion for dismissal of the proceeding in whole or in part, any party desiring to appeal must file such appeal no later than twenty-two (22) days after service of the ruling on the motion in question.

(2) Any adverse party may file and serve a reply to an appeal under this paragraph within twenty-two (22) days after the appeal is served.

(3) The denial of a petition to intervene or withdrawal of a grant of intervention shall be deemed to be a dismissal within the meaning of this paragraph.

(c) Whenever an administrative law judge orders dismissal of a proceeding in whole or in part, such order, in the absence of appeal, shall become the order of the Commission thirty (30) days after date of service of such order (and the Secretary shall so notify the parties), unless within such 30-day period the Commission decides to review such order on its own motion, in which case notice of such intention shall be served upon the parties.

(d) The Commission shall not, on its own initiative, review any initial decision or order of dismissal unless such review is requested by an individual Commissioner. Any such request must be transmitted to the Secretary within thirty (30) days after date of service of the decision or order. Such request shall be sufficient to bring the matter before the Commission for review.

(e) All briefs and replies filed pursuant to this section shall ordinarily be limited to fifty (50) pages in length, exclusive of pages containing the table of contents, table of authorities, and certificate of service, unless the Commission allows the parties to exceed this limit for good cause shown and upon application filed not later than seven (7) days before the time fixed for filing of such a brief or reply. [Rule 227.]

[49 FR 44369, Nov. 6, 1984, as amended at 58 FR 27211, May 7, 1993; 61 FR 66617, Dec. 18, 1996; 64 FR 7810, Feb. 17, 1999; 80 FR 57307, Sept. 23, 2015]