9830. Hearing

The hearing shall be held not later than 15 days after service of the notice and filing initiating the proceeding, unless otherwise extended by the Chief Hearing Officer or Deputy Chief Hearing Officer for good cause shown. If a Hearing Officer or Hearing Panelist is recused or disqualified, the hearing shall be held not later than five days after a replacement Hearing Officer or Hearing Panelist is appointed. Upon a determination that proceeding in person may endanger the health or safety of the participants or would be impracticable, or upon consideration of a joint motion of the Parties for good cause shown, the Chief Hearing Officer or Deputy Chief Hearing Officer may, in the exercise of reasonable discretion, order the hearing to be conducted, in whole or in part, by video conference.

The Office of Hearing Officers shall serve a notice of date, time, and place of the hearing on the Department of Enforcement and the Respondent (or upon counsel representing the Respondent, or other person authorized to represent others under Rule 9141, when counsel or other person authorized to represent others under Rule 9141 agrees to accept service for the Respondent) not later than seven days before the hearing, unless otherwise ordered by the Hearing Officer. Service shall be made by personal service, overnight commercial courier, facsimile, or email. If service is made by facsimile or email, the Office of Hearing Officers shall send an additional copy of the notice by personal service or overnight commercial courier. Service is complete upon sending the notice by facsimile or email, sending the notice by overnight courier or delivering it in person, except that, where duplicate service is required, service is complete when the duplicate service is complete. The notice shall be effective when service is complete.

The Hearing Officer shall have authority to do all things necessary and appropriate to discharge his or her duties as set forth under Rule 9235.

A person who is subject to the jurisdiction of FINRA shall testify under oath or affirmation. The oath or affirmation shall be administered by a court reporter or a notary public.

Prior to the hearing, the Hearing Officer may order a Party to furnish to all other Parties and the Hearing Panel such information as deemed appropriate, including any or all of the pre-hearing submissions described in Rule 9242(a). The documentary evidence submitted by the Parties pursuant to this paragraph shall not become part of the record, unless the Hearing Officer or Hearing Panel orders some or all of such evidence included pursuant to Rule 9830(g). At any time during the Hearing Panel's consideration, the Hearing Panel may direct a Party to submit additional information. Any additional information submitted shall be provided to all Parties at least one day before the Hearing Panel renders its decision.

The hearing shall be recorded by a court reporter and a written transcript thereof shall be prepared. A transcript of the hearing shall be available to the Parties for purchase from the court reporter at prescribed rates. A witness may purchase a copy of the transcript of his or her own testimony from the court reporter at prescribed rates. Proposed corrections to the transcript may be submitted by affidavit to the Hearing Panel within a reasonable time determined by the Hearing Panel. Upon notice to all the Parties to the proceeding, the Hearing Panel may order corrections to the transcript as requested or sua sponte.

The record shall consist of the notice initiating the proceeding, the declaration, and the proposed order described in Rule 9810(b); the transcript of the hearing; all evidence considered by the Hearing Panel; and any other document or item accepted into the record by the Hearing Officer or the Hearing Panel. The Office of Hearing Officers shall be the custodian of the record. Proffered evidence that is not accepted into the record by the Hearing Panel shall be retained by the custodian of the record until the date when FINRA's decision becomes final or, if applicable, upon the conclusion of any review by the SEC or the federal courts.

If a Respondent fails to appear at a hearing for which it has notice, the allegations in the notice and accompanying declaration may be deemed admitted, and the Hearing Panel may issue a temporary cease and desist order in a TCDO Proceeding or a permanent cease and desist order in a PCDO Proceeding without further proceedings. If the Department of Enforcement fails to appear at a hearing for which it has notice, the Hearing Panel may order that the proceeding be dismissed.