(225 ILCS 459/75) Sec. 75. Investigations; notice and hearing. The Department may investigate the actions of any person who is an applicant or of any person or persons rendering or offering to render any services requiring registration under this Act or any person holding or claiming to hold a registration as an appraisal management company. The Department shall, before revoking, suspending, placing on probation, reprimanding, or taking any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action under Section 65 of this Act, at least 30 days before the date set for the hearing, (i) notify the person charged in writing of the charges made and the time and place for the hearing on the charges, (ii) direct the person to file a written answer to the charges with the Department under oath within 20 days after service of the notice, and (iii) inform the person that, if the person fails to answer, default will be entered or that the person's registration may be suspended, revoked, placed on probationary status, or other disciplinary action taken with regard to the registration, including limiting the scope, nature, or extent of the person's practice, as the Department may consider proper. At the time and place fixed in the notice, the Department shall proceed to hear the charges and the parties or their counsel shall be accorded ample opportunity to present any pertinent statements, testimony, evidence, and arguments. The Department may continue the hearing from time to time. In case the person, after receiving the notice, fails to file an answer, the person's registration may, in the discretion of the Department, be suspended, revoked, placed on probationary status, or the Department may take whatever disciplinary action considered proper, including limiting the scope, nature, or extent of the person's practice or the imposition of a fine, without a hearing, if the act or acts charged constitute sufficient grounds for that action under this Act. The written notice may be served by certified mail or electronic mail to the last address of record or email address of record as provided to the Department or, if in the course of the administrative proceeding the party has previously designated a specific email address at which to accept electronic service for that specific proceeding, by sending a copy by email to the party's email address on record. (Source: P.A. 103-236, eff. 1-1-24 .) |