Section 475.280  Motions

In addition to the requirements set forth in Section 475.80 of this Part, the following shall apply.

a)         In the interest of convenient, expeditious and complete determination of matters, the hearing officer may consolidate or sever hearing proceedings involving any number of parties and may order additional parties to be joined.

b)         Upon timely written application, the hearing officer may permit any party to intervene in a hearing proceeding, subject to the necessity for conducting an orderly and expeditious hearing, when any of the following conditions is met:

1)         The party is so situated as to be adversely affected by a final order arising from the hearing;

2)         The party has an unconditional statutory right to intervene in the proceedings; or

3)         The party's circumstances and the hearing proceeding have a question of law or fact in common.

c)         Two copies of a petition for intervention shall be filed with the General Counsel of ISBE at the address set forth in Section 475.20(a) of this Part, one copy shall be filed with the hearing officer, and one copy shall be served on each party no later than 48 hours prior to the date set for hearing of matters set forth in the Notice of Hearing.  The hearing officer may permit later intervention when there is a good cause shown for the delay.

d)         An intervenor shall have all the rights of an original party, except that the hearing officer may, in the order allowing the intervention, provide that the party shall not raise issues that might more properly have been raised at an earlier stage of the proceeding; that the party shall not raise new issues or add new parties; or that, in other respects, the party shall not interfere with the conduct of the hearing, as justice and the avoidance of undue delay might require.