Section 470IAC1-4-5. Conduct of hearing; hearing decision

   (a) The administrative law judge (ALJ) shall conduct the hearing in an informal manner and without recourse to the technical common law rules of evidence.

  (b) The ALJ shall exclude from consideration irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious evidence.

  (c) Every party shall have the right to submit evidence. In the event that an objection to evidence is sustained, the party proffering the evidence may make an offer of proof. Each party shall have the right to cross-examine the witnesses and offer rebutting evidence.

  (d) Following the completion of the hearing, or after the submission of briefs by the parties (if briefing is permitted by the ALJ), the ALJ shall issue his or her decision in the matter concurrently to the parties. The decision shall be final unless a party requests agency review of the decision in accordance with this rule. The decision of the ALJ in a food stamp intentional program violation hearing or an aid to families with dependent children (AFDC) intentional program violation hearing is a final agency decision.

  (e) The ALJ's decision shall:

(1) include findings of fact;

(2) specify the reasons for the decision; and

(3) identify the evidence and statutes, regulations, rules, and policies supporting the decision.

  (f) The findings of fact need not include a recitation of every piece of evidence admitted in the evidentiary hearing. Rather, the findings should contain the basic facts that have formed the basis for the ALJ's ultimate decision. The decision must demonstrate a rational connection between the basic facts found by the ALJ and the ALJ's ultimate decision. The ALJ's decision must also cite the relevant laws upon which the ultimate decision is based, and relate the facts to the law. (Division of Family Resources; 470 IAC 1-4-5; filed May 22, 1987, 12:45 p.m.: 10 IR 2279, eff Jul 1, 1987; filed Jun 19, 1996, 9:00 a.m.: 19 IR 3076; readopted filed Jul 12, 2001, 1:40 p.m.: 24 IR 4235; readopted filed Oct 24, 2007, 11:25 a.m.: 20071121-IR-470070448RFA; readopted filed Aug 23, 2013, 3:36 p.m.: 20130918-IR-470130306RFA)