Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
AGENCY DESCRIPTION
Chapter 246-10 - Administrative procedure - Adjudicative proceedings
Section SECTION IV - SETTLEMENT AND PREHEARING PROCEEDINGS
Section 246-10-403 - Motions

(1) The presiding officer shall rule on motions. The presiding officer may rule on motions without oral argument or may request or permit the parties to argue the motion in person or by telephone. Oral argument may be limited in time at the discretion of the presiding officer.

(2) All prehearing motions, including discovery and evidentiary motions, must be made in writing and filed with the adjudicative clerk's office and served on all other parties by the dates set in the scheduling order.

(3) Motions for continuance must be made in writing and filed prior to the dates set in the scheduling order. If the adjudicative proceeding is scheduled to take place fewer than twenty days from service of the scheduling order, motions for continuance must be made within ten days of service of the scheduling order, but in no event fewer than five days prior to the hearing. Continuances may be granted by the presiding officer for good cause.

(4) The presiding officer may grant a continuance when a motion for continuance is not submitted within the time limits contained in subsection (3) of this section for good cause.

(5) The following is the recommended format for motions:

(6) The moving party shall file the motion, and the accompanying affidavits, declarations, and photographic or documentary evidence when necessary, with the adjudicative clerk's office and shall serve the motion, and the accompanying affidavits, declarations, and photographic or documentary evidence when necessary, on all other parties. The motion may not exceed twenty-five pages without permission of the presiding officer.

(7) The opposing party shall file with the adjudicative clerk's office, and serve upon the moving party, a responsive memorandum, and accompanying affidavits, declarations, and photographic or documentary evidence when necessary, no later than eleven days following service of the motion, unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer. A responsive memorandum may not exceed twenty-five pages without permission of the presiding officer.

(8) The moving party may file with the adjudicative clerk's office, and serve upon the opposing party, a reply memorandum no later than five days following service of the responsive memorandum, unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer. A reply memorandum may not exceed fifteen pages without permission of the presiding officer.

(9) Unless otherwise ordered by the presiding officer, all motions must be decided without oral argument. A party requesting oral argument on a motion shall so indicate by typing "ORAL ARGUMENT REQUESTED" in the caption of the motion or the responsive memorandum. If a request for oral argument is granted, the presiding officer shall notify the parties of the date and time of the argument and whether the argument will be in person or by telephone conference.

(10) Motions to shorten time or emergency motions must be exceptions to the rule, and a party may only make such motions in exigent or exceptional circumstances. When making such a motion, the moving party shall:

(11) All motions will be decided as soon as practical, but not more than thirty days following the filing of the motion. If the presiding officer will not decide the motion within this time, the presiding officer shall notify the parties in writing of the date by which the motion will be decided.

(12) If a party serves a motion or responsive memorandum by mail, pursuant to WAC 246-10-109, three days will be added to the time within which the opposing party must file and serve the responsive or reply memorandum. Service by electronic telefacsimile transmission (fax) upon each party is permitted upon agreement of the parties, with proof of confirmation of service to be filed with the presiding officer.

(13) All computations of time must be calculated pursuant to WAC 246-10-105.

(14) Departmental motions for summary actions are exempted from all requirements of this rule.