Source: https://ecode360.com/15063983
Timestamp: 2020-04-06 03:13:58
Document Index: 468404467

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 11', '§ 4322', '§ 4322', '§ 2691', '§ 4322']

Town of Kittery, ME Fair Hearing
§ 11.7-11.7.1 Right to fair hearing.
§ 11.7-11.7.2 Method of obtaining fair hearing.
§ 11.7-11.7.3 Fair hearing authority.
§ 11.7-11.7.4 Fair hearing procedure.
§ 11.7-11.7.5 Fair hearing decision.
Chapter 11.7 Fair Hearing
§ 11.7.1 Right to fair hearing.
§ 11.7.2 Method of obtaining fair hearing.
§ 11.7.3 Fair hearing authority.
§ 11.7.4 Fair hearing procedure.
§ 11.7.5 Fair hearing decision.
Within five working days of receiving a written notice of denial, reduction or termination of assistance, or within 10 working days after any other act or failure to act, the applicant or his or her authorized representative has the right to request a fair hearing (22 M.R.S.A. § 4322). The right to review a decision of the general assistance administrator is a basic right of the applicant to a full evidentiary hearing and is not limited solely to a review of the decision.
To obtain a fair hearing, the claimant, or his or her authorized representative, must make a written request within five working days of receiving the administrator's decision to grant, deny, reduce or terminate assistance, or within 10 working days after any other act or failure to act. The administrator will make available a printed form for requesting a fair hearing and will assist the claimant in completing it if necessary. On the printed form, the claimant will give the following information:
The decision on which review is sought;
The reason(s) for the claimant's dissatisfaction and why the claimant believes he/she is eligible to receive assistance; and
The relief sought by the claimant.
Scheduling the fair hearing.
Upon receipt of the completed written request, the fair hearing authority must meet and hold the hearing within five working days. The administrator will notify the claimant, in writing, when and where the hearing will be held (22 M.R.S.A. § 4322). In addition to the date, time and place of the hearing, the notice of fair hearing sent to the claimant shall include, at a minimum, the claimant's rights to:
Be his or her own spokesperson at the fair hearing, or be represented by legal counsel or other spokesperson at the hearing, at the claimant's own expense;
Confront and cross-examine any witnesses presented at the hearing against the claimant; and
Present witnesses on his or her own behalf.
The fair hearing authority may consist of the municipal officers, one or more persons appointed by the municipal officers to act as the FHA, or, if designated, the board of appeals created under 30-A M.R.S.A. § 2691 (22 M.R.S.A. § 4322). In determining the organization of the fair hearing authority, the municipal officers will use the following criteria. The person(s) serving as FHA must:
Not have participated in the decision which is the subject of the appeal;
Be sufficiently skilled in interviewing techniques to be able to obtain evidence and the facts necessary to make a fair determination; and
Be capable of evaluating all evidence fairly and realistically, explaining to the claimant the laws and regulations under which the administrator operated, and interpreting to the administrator any evidence of unsound, unclear, or inadequate policies, practices or actions.
Be conducted privately, and will be open only to the claimant, witnesses, legal counsel, or others whom the claimant wants present, and the general assistance administrator, his or her agents, counsel and witnesses;
Be opened with a presentation of the issue by the fair hearing authority;
Be conducted informally, without technical rules of evidence, but subject to the requirements of due process;
Allow the claimant and the administrator the option to present their positions for themselves or with the aid of others, including legal counsel;
Give all participants an opportunity to present oral or written testimony or documentary evidence, offer rebuttal; question witnesses presented at the hearing; and examine all evidence presented at the hearing;
Result in a decision, based exclusively on evidence or testimony presented at the hearing; and
Be tape recorded, and result in a written decision that is given to the claimant and filed with evidence introduced at the hearing. The fair hearing authority will allow the claimant to establish all pertinent facts and circumstances, and to advance any arguments without undue interference. Information that the claimant does not have an opportunity to hear or see will not be used in the fair hearing decision or made part of the hearing record. Any material reviewed by the fair hearing authority must be made available to the claimant or his or her representative. The claimant will be responsible for preparing a written transcript if he/she wishes to pursue court action.
Claimant's failure to appear.
In the event the claimant fails to appear, the FHA will send a written notice to the claimant that the GA administrator's decision was not altered due to the claimant's failure to appear. Furthermore, the notice shall indicate that the claimant has five working days from receipt of the notice to submit to the GA administrator information demonstrating "just cause" for failing to appear.
For the purposes of a claimant's failure to appear at a fair hearing, examples of "just cause" include:
A death or serious illness in the family;
A personal illness which reasonably prevents the party from attending the hearing;
An emergency or unforeseen event which reasonably prevents the party from attending the hearing;
An obligation or responsibility which a reasonable person in the conduct of his or her affairs could reasonably conclude takes precedence over the attendance at the hearing; or
Lack of receipt of adequate or timely notice; excusable neglect, excusable inadvertence, or excusable mistake.
In the event a claimant who is represented by legal counsel fails to appear at a fair hearing, legal counsel shall not testify in place of the claimant on matters of "fact" but may cross examine witnesses and make "legal" arguments on behalf of the claimant.
The decision of the fair hearing authority will be binding on the general assistance administrator, and will be communicated, in writing, to the claimant within five working days after completion of the hearing. Written notice of the decision will contain the following:
Relevant facts brought out at the hearing;
Pertinent provisions in the law or general assistance ordinance related to the decision; and