[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR15.68]

[Page 373]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
PART 15_NONDISCRIMINATION--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart C_Rules of Practice and Procedure for Hearings, Decisions and 
        Administrative Review Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964
 
Sec. 15.68  Ex parte communications.

    (a) General. After proceedings have been commenced, any 
communication or discussion ex parte, as regards the merits of the 
proceeding or a factually related proceeding, between an employee of the 
Department involved in the decisional process and a person not employed 
by the Department, and any such communication or discussion between any 
employee of the Department, who is or has been engaged in any way in the 
investigation or prosecution of the proceeding or a factually related 
proceeding, and an employee of the Department who is involved or may be 
involved in the decisional process of a proceeding, except at a 
conference, hearing or review proceeding under these rules is improper 
and prohibited.
    (b) Request for information. A request for information about the 
status of a proceeding without discussing issues or expressing points of 
view and inquiries with respect to procedural matters or an emergency 
request for an extension of time are not deemed ex parte communications. 
When practical all parties should be notified of any request for an 
extension of time. Communication between an applicant or recipient and 
the agency or the Secretary with respect to securing voluntary 
compliance with any requirement of subpart A of this part is not 
prohibited.
    (c) Unsponsored written material. Letters expressing views or urging 
action and other unsponsored written material regarding matters in issue 
in a proceeding will be placed in the correspondence section of the 
docket of the proceeding. Such are not deemed part of the evidence or 
record.

            Form, Execution, Filing and Service of Documents