OAR 137-003-0005: Participation as Party or Limited Party

(1) Persons who have an interest in the outcome of the agency’s contested case proceeding or who represent a public interest in such result may request to participate as parties or limited parties. (2) A person requesting to participate as a party or limited party shall file a petition with the agency at least 21 calendar days before the date set for the hearing and shall include a sufficient number of copies of the petition for service on all parties. Petitions untimely filed shall not be considered unless the agency determines that good cause has been shown for failure to file timely. (3) The petition shall include the following: (a) Names and addresses of the petitioner and of any organization the petitioner represents; (b) Name and address of the petitioner’s attorney, if any; (c) A statement of whether the request is for participation as a party or a limited party, and, if as a limited party, the precise area or areas in which participation is sought; (d) If the petitioner seeks to protect a personal interest in the outcome of the agency’s proceeding, a detailed statement of the petitioner’s interest, economic or otherwise, and how such interest may be affected by the results of the proceeding; (e) If the petitioner seeks to represent a public interest in the results of the proceeding, a detailed statement of such public interest, the manner in which such public interest will be affected by the results of the proceeding, and the petitioner’s qualifications to represent such public interest; (f) A statement of the reasons why existing parties to the proceeding cannot adequately represent the interest identified in subsection (3)(d) or (e) of this rule. (4) The agency shall serve a copy of the petition on each party personally or by mail. Each party shall have seven calendar days from the date of personal service or agency mailing to file a response to the petition. (5) If the agency determines under OAR 137-003-0003 that good cause has been shown for failure to file a timely petition, the agency at its discretion may: (a) Shorten the time within which responses to the petition shall be filed; or (b) Postpone the hearing until disposition is made of the petition. (6) If a person is granted participation as a party or a limited party, the agency may postpone or continue the hearing to a later date if necessary to avoid an undue burden to one or more of the parties in the case. (7) In ruling on petitions to participate as a party or a limited party, the agency shall consider: (a) Whether the petitioner has demonstrated a personal or public interest that could reasonably be affected by the outcome of the proceeding; (b) Whether any such affected interest is within the scope of the agency’s jurisdiction and within the scope of the notice of contested case hearing; (c) When a public interest is alleged, the qualifications of the petitioner to represent that interest; (d) The extent to which the petitioner’s interest will be represented by existing parties. (8) A petition to participate as a party may be treated as a petition to participate as a limited party. (9) If the agency grants a petition, the agency shall specify areas of participation and procedural limitations as it deems appropriate. (10) An agency ruling on a petition to participate as a party or as a limited party shall be by written order and served promptly on the petitioner and all parties. If the petition is allowed, the agency shall also serve petitioner with the notice of rights required by ORS 183.413(2).