§68.36. Ex parte communications.

General. Except for other employees of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, the Administrative Law Judge shall not consult any person, or party, on any fact in issue unless upon notice and opportunity for all parties to participate. Communications by the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, the assigned judge, or any party for the sole purpose of scheduling hearings, or requesting extensions of time are not considered ex parte communications, except that all other parties shall be notified of such request by the requesting party and be given an opportunity to respond thereto.

Sanctions. A party or participant who makes a prohibited ex parte communication, or who encourages or solicits another to make any such communication, may be subject to any appropriate sanction or sanctions, including but not limited to, exclusion from the proceedings and adverse ruling on the issue which is the subject of the prohibited communication.