Who conducts the formal hearing in a formal adjudicatory proceeding?

• A. The Agency Commissioner
• B. A magistrate from the Supreme Court
• C. An Administrative Law Judge
• D. A juror panel

Answer: (C)

Formal adjudicatory hearings are conducted by an Administrative Law Judge who serves as an impartial examiner within the agency. The ALJ runs the hearing, takes testimony, rules on evidence and objections, and applies the relevant law to the facts. This neutral forum protects due process and separates the fact-finding from the agency’s final decision. After the hearing, the ALJ usually issues an initial decision, which the agency then reviews and decides to adopt, modify, or reject.

The agency commissioner typically does not conduct the hearing itself; they may issue the final decision after the hearing. A magistrate from the Supreme Court isn’t the standard role in these proceedings, and a juror panel implies a jury trial, which administrative adjudicatory hearings do not use.