Petition for Reconsideration (Administrative Agency)

APPLICATION FOR REHEARING / PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION

State of Alabama — Alabama Administrative Procedure Act (Ala. Code § 41-22-17)

CRITICAL DEADLINE NOTICE — READ BEFORE FILING

Under Ala. Code § 41-22-17, any party to a contested case who considers themselves aggrieved by a final order must file an application for rehearing within 15 days after entry of the order. The application must specify in detail the grounds for the relief sought and include legal authorities in support.

Agency response deadline: Within 30 days from filing, the agency may grant a hearing on the application, decide the application with or without a hearing, or grant or deny the application. If the agency takes no action within 30 days, the application is deemed denied as of that date.

Effect on judicial review: Under Ala. Code § 41-22-20, an aggrieved party may seek judicial review in circuit court. A timely application for rehearing tolls the time for judicial review until the agency rules or the application is deemed denied. Judicial review must be sought within 30 days after the denial becomes final. Missing the 15-day rehearing deadline may waive your right to raise certain issues in court.

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This Application for Rehearing (also referred to as a Petition for Reconsideration) is a formal request to an Alabama state administrative agency to reconsider its final order in a contested case. This document is filed with the agency — not in court — and is typically a necessary prerequisite to judicial review in Alabama circuit courts.

Common agencies where this petition is used:

• Alabama Board of Medical Examiners
• Alabama State Board of Pharmacy
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM)
• Alabama Department of Revenue
• Alabama Department of Labor (unemployment, workers' compensation)
• Alabama Public Service Commission
• Alabama State Banking Department
• Alabama Real Estate Commission
• Alabama Securities Commission
• Alabama Board of Nursing and other professional licensing boards
• Alabama Department of Insurance
• Alabama Medicaid Agency
• Alabama State Board of Education (professional certification)
• Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board

GROUNDS FOR REHEARING/RECONSIDERATION CHECKLIST

Check all grounds that apply:

☐ Error of Law — The agency incorrectly applied or interpreted a statute, regulation, or legal principle

☐ Error of Fact / Substantial Evidence — The agency's findings of fact are not supported by substantial evidence in the record

☐ Newly Discovered Evidence — Material evidence was discovered after the hearing that could not reasonably have been discovered earlier with due diligence

☐ Agency Exceeded Its Statutory Authority — The agency acted beyond the powers granted to it by the Alabama Legislature

☐ Decision Is Arbitrary, Capricious, or an Abuse of Discretion — The agency failed to provide a rational basis for its decision or acted arbitrarily

☐ Procedural Irregularity / Denial of Due Process — A material procedural defect occurred under Ala. Code § 41-22-12 or § 41-22-13 that prejudiced Petitioner's rights

☐ Constitutional Violation — The decision, order, or underlying rule violates the Alabama or United States Constitution

☐ Improper Admission or Exclusion of Evidence — The agency improperly admitted or excluded material evidence at the hearing

☐ Inadequate Findings of Fact or Conclusions of Law — The order lacks sufficient factual or legal findings required by Ala. Code § 41-22-16

☐ Excessive Penalty — The penalty or sanction imposed is disproportionate to the violation and unsupported by the record

☐ Other: [________________________________]

APPLICATION FOR REHEARING

BEFORE THE [________________________________]
STATE OF ALABAMA

In the Matter of:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
(Applicant / Respondent in Underlying Proceeding)

Case/Docket No.: [________________________________]

Order/Decision No.: [________________________________]

Date of Final Order: [__/__/____]

APPLICATION FOR REHEARING PURSUANT TO ALA. CODE § 41-22-17

SECTION 1 — IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES

1.1 Applicant/Petitioner:

Full Legal Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], AL [____]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Email: [________________________________]
License/Registration No. (if applicable): [________________________________]
Alabama Business Entity Type (if applicable): [________________________________]
Employer Identification No. (if applicable): [________________________________]

1.2 Applicant's Legal Counsel:

Attorney Name: [________________________________]
Alabama State Bar No.: [________________________________]
Firm Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], AL [____]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Email: [________________________________]

1.3 Respondent Agency:

Agency Name: [________________________________]
Division/Board (if applicable): [________________________________]
Clerk/Designated Contact: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], AL [____]

1.4 Other Parties of Record:

Name: [________________________________] Role: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]

Name: [________________________________] Role: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]

SECTION 2 — JURISDICTION AND TIMELINESS

2.1 Statutory Basis:

This Application for Rehearing is filed pursuant to Ala. Code § 41-22-17 of the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. Applicant is a party to the contested case who considers the final order to be erroneous and seeks its modification or reversal.

2.2 Timeliness — Deadline Calculation:

The final order was entered by the agency on: [__/__/____]

The 15-day filing deadline under Ala. Code § 41-22-17 expires on: [__/__/____]

This Application is filed on: [__/__/____]

☐ This Application is timely filed within the 15-day deadline.

2.3 Prior Applications:

☐ No prior application for rehearing has been filed in this matter.
☐ A prior application was filed on [__/__/____] and [________________________________].

2.4 Agency Authority:

The [________________________________] has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to:

Governing statute: [________________________________]
Administrative rules (Alabama Administrative Code cite): [________________________________]

SECTION 3 — DESCRIPTION OF ORDER BEING CHALLENGED

3.1 Identification of Final Order:

Title/Caption of Order: [________________________________]
Order Number: [________________________________]
Date of Entry: [__/__/____]
Date Received/Served on Applicant: [__/__/____]
Hearing Officer / Agency Official Who Issued Order: [________________________________]

3.2 Nature of the Contested Case:

☐ Professional license denial, suspension, revocation, or non-renewal
☐ Civil penalty or fine assessment
☐ Environmental permit denial or enforcement order
☐ Certificate of need or health facility licensure decision
☐ Unemployment compensation determination
☐ Workers' compensation order
☐ Tax assessment or penalty determination
☐ Medicaid provider action (enrollment, audit, recoupment)
☐ Insurance company, agent, or broker action
☐ Banking or financial institution action
☐ Securities regulatory action
☐ Other: [________________________________]

3.3 Summary of the Challenged Order:

[Describe the specific findings, conclusions, and orders being challenged. Cite page and paragraph numbers of the order. State precisely what the agency found, what it ordered or denied, and what the Applicant believes is incorrect.]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

SECTION 4 — PROCEDURAL HISTORY

4.1 Initiation of Contested Case:

Date proceeding was initiated: [__/__/____]
Initiating party: [________________________________]
Nature of initial action: [________________________________]

4.2 Notice and Prehearing Proceedings:

Notice of hearing served on Applicant: [__/__/____]
Prehearing conference held: ☐ Yes ☐ No Date: [__/__/____]
Discovery conducted: ☐ Yes ☐ No Description: [________________________________]
Prehearing motions filed and decided: [________________________________]

4.3 Hearing:

☐ Formal evidentiary hearing held under Ala. Code § 41-22-12 et seq.
☐ Informal settlement conference or consent order proceeding
☐ Decision on the record without a formal hearing

Hearing date(s): [__/__/____] through [__/__/____]
Presiding officer: [________________________________]
Location: [________________________________]

Witnesses who testified for Applicant:

1. [________________________________] Subject: [________________________________]
2. [________________________________] Subject: [________________________________]
3. [________________________________] Subject: [________________________________]

Witnesses who testified for Agency:

1. [________________________________] Subject: [________________________________]
2. [________________________________] Subject: [________________________________]

Key documentary evidence introduced:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

4.4 Proposed Order (if applicable):

☐ A proposed order was issued on [__/__/____]
☐ Written exceptions to the proposed order were filed on [__/__/____]
☐ No proposed order; agency issued final order directly on [__/__/____]

4.5 Final Order:

Final order issued on [__/__/____] and served on Applicant on [__/__/____].

SECTION 5 — STATEMENT OF FACTS

[Set forth the material facts underlying the grounds for rehearing. Cite the hearing record, transcript pages, and exhibit numbers wherever possible. Distinguish between facts the agency found and facts the Applicant disputes.]

5.1 Undisputed Background Facts:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.2 Disputed Facts / Factual Errors in the Order:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.3 Facts Supporting Ground 1 ([________________________________]):

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.4 Facts Supporting Ground 2 ([________________________________]):

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.5 Newly Discovered Evidence (if applicable):

Description of new evidence: [________________________________]
Why it was not available or discoverable at the time of the hearing: [________________________________]
How it is material to the outcome of this proceeding: [________________________________]
Source of new evidence (witness, document, expert, etc.): [________________________________]

SECTION 6 — GROUNDS FOR REHEARING AND LEGAL ARGUMENT

(Ala. Code § 41-22-17 requires the application to "specify in detail the grounds for the relief sought" and list "authorities in support thereof.")

Ground 1: [________________________________]

Specific Error Identified:

[Identify the precise error — cite the specific finding of fact, conclusion of law, or page/paragraph of the order that is incorrect or unlawful.]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Legal Standard:

[State the applicable legal standard, e.g., "Under Ala. Code § 41-22-_____, the agency must _____. The standard of review on questions of fact is substantial evidence; on questions of law, de novo review applies."]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Argument:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Authorities in Support:

• Statute: [________________________________]
• Alabama Administrative Code: [________________________________]
• Case Law: [________________________________]
• Agency Precedent/Prior Order: [________________________________]

Ground 2: [________________________________]

Specific Error Identified:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Legal Standard:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Argument:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Authorities in Support:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

Ground 3 (if applicable): [________________________________]

Specific Error Identified:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Argument:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Authorities in Support:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

SECTION 7 — RELIEF REQUESTED

Applicant respectfully requests that the Agency grant this Application for Rehearing and:

☐ Vacate the Final Order in its entirety and dismiss the proceeding

☐ Modify the Final Order as follows: [________________________________]

☐ Remand to a hearing officer for a new or supplemental evidentiary hearing on the following issues: [________________________________]

☐ Remand for additional or corrected findings of fact and/or conclusions of law on: [________________________________]

☐ Reduce the penalty or sanction from [________________________________] to [________________________________], based on: [________________________________]

☐ Reinstate or restore the license, permit, or certification: [________________________________]

☐ Stay enforcement of the Final Order pending resolution of this Application and any subsequent judicial review

☐ Other: [________________________________]

Statement of Harm if Relief Is Denied:

[Describe the specific, concrete harm to Applicant if the order stands — e.g., loss of professional livelihood, permanent record impact, financial hardship, risk to public health if license is unjustly revoked, etc.]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

SECTION 8 — EXHIBITS

SECTION 9 — VERIFICATION

I, [________________________________], being duly sworn, state that I have read the foregoing Application for Rehearing and that the facts and allegations contained herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

Executed this [____] day of [________________________________], 20[____], at [________________________________], Alabama.

Signature: _________________________________
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Title/Capacity: [________________________________]

STATE OF ALABAMA
COUNTY OF [________________________________]

Subscribed and sworn to before me this [____] day of [________________________________], 20[____].

_________________________________
Notary Public, State of Alabama
My Commission Expires: [__/__/____]

SECTION 10 — SIGNATURE BLOCK

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________________
[________________________________] (Attorney Name)
Alabama State Bar No.: [________________________________]
[________________________________] (Firm Name)
[________________________________] (Street Address)
[________________________________], AL [____]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Facsimile: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Email: [________________________________]

Counsel for Applicant [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

SECTION 11 — CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I certify that on [__/__/____], I served a true and correct copy of the foregoing Application for Rehearing upon the following parties of record by the method(s) indicated:

Agency Clerk / Docket Officer:
[________________________________] — [________________________________], AL [____]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Certified Mail (Tracking: [________________________________]) ☐ Email: [________________________________]

Opposing Counsel or Party:
[________________________________] — [________________________________]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Email: [________________________________]

Other Party of Record:
[________________________________] — [________________________________]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Certified Mail ☐ Email: [________________________________]

_________________________________
Signature
Printed Name: [________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

SECTION 12 — NEXT STEPS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW INFORMATION

12.1 Agency Decision Timeline:

After this Application is filed, under Ala. Code § 41-22-17(b), within 30 days the agency may:

• Set a hearing on the Application for rehearing
• Decide the Application with or without a hearing
• Grant or deny the Application expressly

If the agency takes no action within 30 days, the Application is deemed denied as of the expiration of that period.

12.2 If Application Is Denied — Judicial Review:

If the Application is denied (expressly or by operation of law), Applicant may seek judicial review in the appropriate Alabama circuit court pursuant to Ala. Code § 41-22-20. Key requirements:

• File the petition for judicial review within 30 days after the denial becomes final
• File in the circuit court of the county where the agency's principal office is located, or where the petitioner resides or does business in Alabama
• Serve a copy of the petition on the agency head and Attorney General
• The reviewing court applies the substantial evidence standard to factual findings; de novo to questions of law

12.3 Exhaustion of Remedies:

Alabama courts require exhaustion of administrative remedies before a court will review an administrative order. Timely filing of a rehearing application under Ala. Code § 41-22-17 is part of that exhaustion process. Failure to file timely may result in waiver of issues.

12.4 Stay Pending Review:

A stay of the final order may be sought from the agency pending reconsideration. If reconsideration is denied, a motion for stay pending judicial review may be filed in the circuit court.

This template was prepared for use in Alabama administrative proceedings under Ala. Code § 41-22-1 et seq. It must be reviewed and customized by a qualified attorney licensed in Alabama before use. The 15-day filing deadline is statutory and strictly enforced.