Office of the Administrative Law Judges

 If a person or company is unable to settle a dispute that involves a possible violation of the Shipping Act, that person or company may file a complaint.  The complaint will be referred to the Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJs).  ALJs have extensive judicial training and will help the parties assemble evidence and present it in the most efficient and inexpensive way possible under the Commission’s rules of procedure.  The ALJ may assist in the settlement of disputes, or may refer the dispute to the Commission’s Dispute Resolution Specialist, who can mediate the dispute.  The ALJ will consider evidence submitted by all parties to the dispute and will issue whatever rulings may be necessary to enable all parties to present their evidence and arguments for the ALJ to consider.  In some cases, if the ALJ cannot decide the case merely by reading written evidence, it may be necessary to conduct a hearing, which is something like a trial at which witnesses will appear and give testimony under oath.  ALJs will always try to issue a just decision or help the parties settle their dispute in a speedy and inexpensive way.  ALJs act in a similar way when the Commission itself, through its Bureau of Enforcement, initiates a formal proceeding in which it is alleged that a party has violated the Shipping Act of 1984.  The ALJ’s initial decision may be appealed to the Commission by the filing of exceptions by the parties within 22 days, or may be reviewed by the Commission on its own motion.  If there are no exceptions to the initial decision, it becomes administratively final 30 days after the date of issuance.