Opinion ID: 2585537
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Any Violation of the Cleary FSA Was Harmless Error.

Text: Brandon contends that the application of the amended 22 AAC 05.450(a) to his disciplinary hearing violated the Cleary FSA. However, at his disciplinary hearing Brandon presented no witnesses in his own behalf and admitted to his possession of the tobacco. At the time of the hearing, Brandon's sole argument was that he should have been charged with a different, lesser infraction, but Brandon does not raise this issue on appeal. Given the overwhelming and uncontroverted evidence at Brandon's hearing, and the fact that he alleges no actual bias on the part of the hearing officer in his case, we can see no reason why any violation of the Cleary FSA prejudiced his hearing. Although we are generally reluctant to find harmless error in agency proceedings, [33] we conclude that any violation of the Cleary FSA did not affect Brandon's substantive rights. [34]