(a) Individuals appearing before OATH must comply with the rules of this chapter and any other applicable rules, and must comply with the orders and directions of the administrative law judge.
(b) Individuals appearing before OATH must conduct themselves at all times in a dignified, orderly and decorous manner. In particular, at the trial, all parties, their attorneys or representatives, and observers must address themselves only to the administrative law judge, avoid colloquy and argument among themselves, and cooperate with the orderly conduct of the trial.
(c) Attorneys and other representatives appearing before OATH must be familiar with the rules of this title.
(d) Attorneys appearing before OATH must conduct themselves in accordance with the canons, ethical considerations and disciplinary rules set forth in the Code of Professional Responsibility in their representation of their clients, in their dealings with other parties, attorneys and representatives before OATH, and with OATH's administrative law judges and staff.
(e) Willful failure of any person to abide by the standards of conduct stated in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, may, in the discretion of the administrative law judge, be cause for the imposition of sanctions. Such sanctions may include formal admonishment or reprimand, assessment of costs or imposition of a fine, exclusion of the offending person from the proceedings, exclusion or limitation of evidence, adverse evidentiary inference, adverse disposition of the case, in whole or in part, or other sanctions as the administrative law judge may determine to be appropriate. The imposition of sanctions may be made after a reasonable opportunity to be heard. The form of the trial will depend upon the nature of the conduct and the circumstances of the case.
(f) In the event that an attorney or other representative of a party persistently fails to abide by the standards of conduct stated in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, the Chief Administrative Law Judge may, upon notice to the attorney or representative and a reasonable opportunity to rebut the claims against him or her, suspend that attorney or representative from appearing at OATH, either for a specified period of time or indefinitely until the attorney or representative demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Chief Administrative Law Judge that the basis for the suspension no longer exists.
(Amended City Record 6/1/2015, eff. 7/1/2015; amended City Record 7/8/2016, eff. 8/7/2016)