Opinion ID: 2624992
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Subsection .166(e) Should Be Construed So as to Avoid Unconstitutionality.

Text: Alaska Statute 28.15.166(e) requires telephone hearings unless the hearing officer finds that a telephonic hearing would substantially prejudice the rights of the person involved in the hearing or that an in-person hearing is necessary to decide the issues to be presented in the hearing. This does not specify the circumstances under which a telephone hearing may substantially prejudice a defendant's rights or when an in-person hearing is necessary to decide the issues presented. Where it is reasonable to do so, we will construe a statute to avoid constitutional problems. [33] In keeping with our conclusion that in-person hearings are required by due process in cases where the credibility of a party is in question, we construe subsection .166(e) to require in-person hearings where a party requests such a hearing and material questions depend on the credibility of the party's testimony. In the present case, Whitesides made a timely request for an in-person hearing and objected when a telephone hearing was scheduled instead. This case involves material issues of his credibility. Therefore, an in-person hearing should have been held.