Code of the District of Columbia

§ 50–301.09b. Hearing examiner — appointment, powers, and duties; appeals.

(a) The Director shall appoint at least one attorney to serve as a hearing examiner to adjudicate consumer and industry complaints filed against public and private vehicles-for-hire, including taxicab owners, operators, companies, associations, fleets, and radio dispatch operations. The hearing examiner shall hear and decide appeals taken from license denials and proposed revocations or suspensions issued by the DFHV, appeals from Notices of Infractions issued by vehicle inspection officers, and fines issued as a result of the consumer complaint process.

(b) A hearing examiner may:

(1) Preside over a hearing in a contested matter;

(2) Compel the attendance of a witness by subpoena;

(3) Administer an oath, take testimony of a witness under oath, and dismiss, rehear, or continue a case;

(4) Issue decisions for review and approval by the DFHV, to be issued as the final decision of the DFHV, or refer matters for contested hearing before the Office of Administrative Hearings, pursuant to Chapter 18A of Title 2 [§ 2-1831.01 et seq.]; and

(5) Adjudicate consumer complaints filed pursuant to Chapter 7 of Title 31 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations (Taxicab and Public Vehicles for Hire) (31 DCMR chapter 7).