Opinion ID: 2320696
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The pre-hearing conference

Text: AAA Rule 10 provides that an administrative conference will be scheduled in appropriate cases at the request of any party or in the discretion of the AAA. Maple Springs apparently did not desire a pre-hearing conference and so informed the AAA. However, Mr. Sanders did request one, so the AAA scheduled a telephone conference between both parties and Mr. O'Brien for July 2, 1996. In a letter dated June 26, 1996, counsel for Maple Springs notified Sanders and the AAA that he would not be available at that time. Two days later, Mr. Sanders wrote a letter to the AAA complaining about the postponement and demanding additional time between the rescheduled conference call and the hearing. The AAA subsequently set a new date for the conference. On appeal, Sanders contends that the AAA extended an unfair special favor to Maple Springs by rescheduling the conference too close to the hearing date and that he was therefore unable to prepare adequately for the hearing. In addition, he asserts that Maple Springs and the AAA engaged in clandestine ex parte discussions by discussing whether Maple Springs wanted a pre-hearing conference and in setting a new date for it.