Section 1700.50  Informal Conference

a)         Upon written notice by the Administrative Law Judge or the Chief Administrative Law Judge's Clerk in any proceeding, parties or their attorneys may be directed to appear at a specified date, time and place, mutually agreed upon by the parties, for a conference to consider:

1)         defining the legal and factual issues to be adjudicated at the administrative hearing;

2)         the necessity or desirability of amending the pleadings for the purpose of clarification, amplification or limitation with respect to matters alleged in any pleading;

3)         the possibility of making admissions or stipulations of fact in order to avoid the unnecessary introduction of evidence;

4)         the procedure at the hearing;

5)         the limitation of the number of witnesses;

6)         the propriety of prior mutual exchange between or among parties of prepared testimony or exhibits;

7)         other matters as may aid in the simplification of the evidence and disposition of the proceeding; and

8)         how to arrive at an equitable settlement of the issues to be adjudicated.

b)         Prior to issuing a notice of hearing, the Administrative Law Judge may, by written notice, direct the parties or their attorneys to appear at a specified date, time and place, mutually agreed upon by the parties, for an informal conference for the purpose of arriving at an equitable settlement of the issues to be adjudicated at the administrative hearing.

c)         If there is an informal conference where no settlement is reached, and the hearing date has not yet been set, a discovery schedule and plan setting dates for exchange of discovery and preliminary motions and hearing date will be set at the informal conference by mutual agreement of the parties.  The informal conference shall not be open to the public, nor shall it be on the record.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 13886, effective September 18, 2023)