{"data":{"id":"us/20-cfr-498.204","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"20 CFR 498.204","heading":"Authority of the administrative law judge.","body":"(a) The ALJ will conduct a fair and impartial hearing, avoid delay, maintain order and assure that a record of the proceeding is made.\n(b) The ALJ has the authority to:\n(1) Set and change the date, time, and place of the hearing upon reasonable notice to the parties;\n(2) Continue or recess the hearing in whole or in part for a reasonable period of time;\n(3) Hold conferences to identify or simplify the issues, or to consider other matters that may aid in the expeditious disposition of the proceeding;\n(4) Administer oaths and affirmations;\n(5) Issue subpoenas requiring the attendance of witnesses at hearings and the production of documents at or in relation to hearings;\n(6) Rule on motions and other procedural matters;\n(7) Regulate the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part;\n(8) Regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of representatives, parties, and witnesses;\n(9) Examine witnesses;\n(10) Receive, exclude, or limit evidence;\n(11) Take official notice of facts;\n(12) Upon motion of a party, decide cases, in whole or in part, by summary judgment where there is no disputed issue of material fact; and\n(13) Conduct any conference or argument in person, or by telephone upon agreement of the parties.\n(c) The ALJ does not have the authority to:\n(1) Find invalid or refuse to follow Federal statutes or regulations, or delegations of authority from the Commissioner;\n(2) Enter an order in the nature of a directed verdict;\n(3) Compel settlement negotiations;\n(4) Enjoin any act of the Commissioner or the Inspector General; or\n(5) Review the exercise of discretion by the Office of the Inspector General to seek to impose a civil monetary penalty or assessment under §§ 498.100 through 498.132.","path":["Title 20—Employees' Benefits","CHAPTER III—SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION","PART 498—CIVIL MONETARY PENALTIES, ASSESSMENTS AND RECOMMENDED EXCLUSIONS"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-20.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:24:45Z","sha256":"fd5df8e71c9821e352d614ecb5abd801440a03276296ccea9a547e78257c7184","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/20-cfr-498.203","next":"us/20-cfr-498.205"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}