EMERGENCY HEARING and POSTPONEMENT Procedures:
Effective 11/01/99, The Commission began using new forms for Emergency Hearings.  Two new forms are being utilized.  The first is the Hearing Notice mailed from the Commission notifying parties of the hearing date.  Emergency hearings are now incorporated into the morning dockets at all hearing locations.  The Hearing Notice now includes limitations and conditions applicable to requests for postponement of Emergency Hearings.  A Request for Postponement of Emergency Hearing will not be granted absent extraordinary circumstances.  The Request for Postponement of Emergency Hearing must be filed within eight (8) days after the Emergency Hearing notice is mailed.  The new Emergency Hearing Notice form will include the last date a request for postponement of an Emergency Hearing may be filed.  A sample copy of the Emergency Hearing Notice may be requested from the Commission by phone, FAX or Email.

The second new form utilized by the Commission is the Request for Postponement of Emergency Hearing.  This form must be timely filed for consideration of any postponement of an Emergency Hearing.  The form requires the moving party to provide the name and telephone number of opposing counsel.  In the event the postponement request is granted, the hearing will be removed from the morning docket.  The case will be reset the same day in Baltimore City and will be heard by the Duty Commissioner on the 1:30 p.m. docket.  All parties will be notified by the Commission when a postponement of an emergency hearing is granted.  A copy of the Request for Postponement of Emergency Hearing may be requested from the Commission by phone, FAX or Email.

PLEASE NOTE: These forms no longer utilize or require the RED headline.  Further information regarding changes in these procedures is pending and will be posted here and in the upcoming COMPlink newsletter.

January 21

Effective March 2, 2000 the Commission will be using an additional Annapolis hearing location as needed on Tuesday and Thursday.  The address is: Heritage Office Complex, 2662 Riva Road, 2nd Floor, Conference Room 1, Annapolis, MD.  The new location is adjacent to the current site in the Board of Education.  Hearings scheduled for Monday and Wednesday will continue at the current Annapolis site.

January 31

Please note the Inclement Weather policy (link above).  Hearing sites DO NOT close for school district professional days.  Only weather related closings affect the WCC Hearings Schedule.  This information is posted as quickly as possible on the WCC Entry Page.  We hope this information has proven helpful during our recent weather emergencies.