Petition for Reconsideration (Administrative Agency)

PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION (ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY)

State of North Carolina — North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act (N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 150B)

CRITICAL DEADLINE AND PROCEDURAL NOTICE — READ BEFORE FILING

Judicial review deadline under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-45: A petition for judicial review of a final agency decision must be filed within 30 days after the petitioner is served with a written copy of the decision. This is a strict jurisdictional deadline.

Reconsideration under agency rules: North Carolina's APA (Chapter 150B) does not contain a universal statutory provision granting parties an automatic right to petition for reconsideration. Instead, reconsideration is governed by each individual agency's rules. Some agencies provide for it; many do not. You must check the specific agency's rules.

Effect on judicial review deadline: Filing a petition for reconsideration with an agency does NOT automatically toll the 30-day judicial review deadline under § 150B-45 unless the agency's own rules expressly provide for tolling. Do not assume filing for reconsideration preserves your right to judicial review. File a petition for judicial review in the Superior Court within 30 days regardless of any pending reconsideration request, unless you have confirmed tolling with the specific agency.

OAH and the two-tiered system: Under Chapter 150B, Article 3A, most contested cases are first heard by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). The ALJ issues a final decision under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-34. For certain specified agencies (listed in § 150B-23(a1)), the agency makes the final decision after reviewing the ALJ's recommendation. Reconsideration, if available, is sought from the decision-maker who issued the final decision.

Where to file for judicial review under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-45: Superior Court of Wake County or the superior court of the county where the petitioner resides.

ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT

This Petition for Reconsideration is a formal request to a North Carolina state administrative agency or OAH ALJ to reconsider, modify, or vacate a final decision in a contested case. It is filed with the decision-maker and is an optional step before seeking judicial review in the Superior Court under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-43 et seq.

Common North Carolina agencies where this petition may be used:

• North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) — Medicaid, public benefits, licensing
• North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) — environmental permits, enforcement
• North Carolina Department of Insurance (DOI) — insurance regulation
• North Carolina Department of Revenue (DOR) — tax assessments, disputes
• North Carolina Department of Labor — occupational safety, workers' compensation
• North Carolina Board of Nursing — nursing licensing
• North Carolina Medical Board — physician licensing
• North Carolina State Bar — attorney discipline
• North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) — highway, transportation matters
• North Carolina Public Utilities Commission — utility regulation
• North Carolina Department of Public Safety — corrections, licensing
• North Carolina Division of Employment Security (DES) — unemployment insurance
• North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) — contested case hearings
• Various professional licensing boards under DHHS and other departments

GROUNDS FOR RECONSIDERATION CHECKLIST

(Grounds recognized under North Carolina administrative law — N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51)

Check all grounds that apply:

☐ Error of Law — The agency or ALJ misapplied or misinterpreted a statute, regulation, or controlling legal standard, including the burden of proof or evidentiary standard

☐ Error of Fact / Unsupported by Substantial Evidence — The decision is unsupported by substantial evidence admissible under N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 150B-29(a), 150B-30, or 150B-31 in view of the entire record (§ 150B-51(b)(5))

☐ Newly Discovered Evidence — Material evidence has been discovered that was not available and could not reasonably have been discovered or presented at the hearing, even with due diligence

☐ Agency Exceeded Its Statutory Authority — The agency acted in excess of its statutory authority or jurisdiction (§ 150B-51(b)(2))

☐ Decision Is Arbitrary, Capricious, or an Abuse of Discretion — The decision lacks a rational basis, is unsupported by the findings, or constitutes an abuse of discretion (§ 150B-51(b)(6))

☐ Procedural Error / Denial of Due Process — The agency or ALJ substantially prejudiced Petitioner's rights through failure to follow proper procedure or denial of due process (§ 150B-51(b)(3))

☐ Constitutional Violation — The decision or the underlying statute/rule violates the North Carolina Constitution or the United States Constitution (§ 150B-51(b)(1))

☐ Affected by Other Error of Law — The decision is affected by an error of law (§ 150B-51(b)(4))

☐ Agency Made Improper Findings — The agency's findings do not comply with § 150B-34 requirements

☐ Penalty or Sanction Is Disproportionate — The penalty or sanction imposed is excessive in relation to the violation and inconsistent with agency guidelines or prior precedent

☐ Other: [________________________________]

PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION

BEFORE THE [________________________________]
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In the Matter of:

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

Agency Case/Docket No.: [________________________________]

OAH Case No. (if applicable): [________________________________]

Decision/Order Reference: [________________________________]

Date Decision Was Served: [__/__/____]

PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION OF FINAL DECISION

SECTION 1 — IDENTIFICATION OF PARTIES

1.1 Petitioner:

Full Legal Name: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], NC [____]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Email: [________________________________]
License/Permit No. (if applicable): [________________________________]
North Carolina Business Entity Type (if applicable): [________________________________]

1.2 Petitioner's Legal Counsel:

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

1.3 Respondent Agency:

Agency Name: [________________________________]
Division/Board/Bureau (if applicable): [________________________________]
Secretary/Director/Chair: [________________________________]
Clerk/Docket Contact: [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]
City, State, Zip: [________________________________], NC [____]

1.4 Other Parties of Record:

Name: [________________________________] Role (e.g., Complainant, Intervenor): [________________________________]
Address: [________________________________]

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

SECTION 2 — JURISDICTION AND TIMELINESS

2.1 Statutory and Regulatory Basis:

This Petition for Reconsideration is filed pursuant to [________________________________] (cite agency-specific rule or regulation authorizing reconsideration) and pursuant to the general provisions of the North Carolina Administrative Procedure Act, N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 150B. Petitioner is a party to the above-captioned contested case and requests reconsideration of the final decision on the grounds stated herein.

2.2 Timeliness — Deadline Calculation:

The final decision was served on Petitioner on: [__/__/____]

The deadline for filing a petition for reconsideration under the agency's rules is: [__/__/____]

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

☐ This Petition is timely filed within the period allowed under the agency's reconsideration rules.

2.3 Effect on Judicial Review Deadline — CRITICAL:

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-45, a petition for judicial review must be filed in Superior Court within 30 days after the petitioner is served with a written copy of the final decision. Petitioner states:

☐ The agency's rules expressly provide that filing a petition for reconsideration tolls the 30-day judicial review deadline under § 150B-45.

☐ The agency's rules do NOT expressly address tolling, and Petitioner is preserving all rights to judicial review by filing a petition for judicial review in the Superior Court within the 30-day deadline simultaneously with this Petition.

☐ Petitioner has confirmed with the agency that the filing of this Petition tolls the 30-day deadline.

2.4 Agency-Specific Reconsideration Rules:

Agency rule authorizing reconsideration: [________________________________]
North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) cite: [________________________________]
Time limit for filing: [________________________________]
Additional requirements: [________________________________]

SECTION 3 — DESCRIPTION OF CHALLENGED DECISION

3.1 Identification of Decision:

Title of Final Decision: [________________________________]
Decision Reference/Number: [________________________________]
Date Decision Issued: [__/__/____]
Date Decision Served on Petitioner: [__/__/____]

OAH ALJ (if applicable): [________________________________]
Date of Hearing(s): [__/__/____] through [__/__/____]

☐ Final decision issued by OAH ALJ under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-34
☐ Final decision issued by agency after reviewing ALJ recommendation (§ 150B-23(a1) agency)
☐ Agency modified ALJ's recommended decision (describe below)
☐ Agency rejected ALJ's recommended decision (describe below)

Description of modification or rejection (if applicable): [________________________________]
[________________________________]

3.2 Nature of the Proceeding:

☐ Professional or occupational license denial, suspension, revocation, or non-renewal
☐ Civil penalty or fine
☐ Environmental permit denial, modification, or enforcement action (DEQ)
☐ Medicaid or public benefits denial or reduction (DHHS)
☐ Unemployment insurance determination (DES)
☐ Insurance regulatory action (DOI)
☐ Tax assessment or deficiency (DOR)
☐ Workers' compensation dispute
☐ Public utility regulatory matter
☐ Education regulatory matter
☐ Other: [________________________________]

3.3 Summary of Challenged Decision:

[Describe precisely what the agency or ALJ found and ordered. Include specific violations found, penalties imposed, license actions taken, and what portions of the decision are being challenged. Cite to page and paragraph numbers.]

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

SECTION 4 — PROCEDURAL HISTORY

4.1 Initiation of Proceeding:

Date of initial agency action or notice: [__/__/____]
Title of initial pleading/notice: [________________________________]
Initiating party: [________________________________]

4.2 Pre-Hearing Proceedings:

Notice of Hearing: [__/__/____]
Prehearing Conference/Statements: [__/__/____]
Discovery: ☐ Yes ☐ No Description: [________________________________]
Motions filed: [________________________________]

4.3 OAH Hearing (if applicable):

Hearing date(s): [__/__/____] through [__/__/____]
OAH ALJ: [________________________________]
Location: [________________________________]

Witnesses for Petitioner:

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

Witnesses for Agency:

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

Exhibits admitted:

• Agency Exhibits: [________________________________]
• Petitioner Exhibits: [________________________________]

4.4 ALJ Recommended/Final Decision:

ALJ issued decision on: [__/__/____]
Type: ☐ Final Decision (§ 150B-34) ☐ Recommended Decision (§ 150B-23(a1) agency)
Key findings: [________________________________]

4.5 Agency Final Decision (if § 150B-23(a1) agency):

Agency issued final decision on: [__/__/____]
Decision served on Petitioner on: [__/__/____]

SECTION 5 — STATEMENT OF FACTS

5.1 Background and Context:

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

5.2 Specific Factual Errors or Omissions in the Decision:

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

5.3 Facts Supporting Ground 1 ([________________________________]):

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

5.4 Facts Supporting Ground 2 ([________________________________]):

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

5.5 Newly Discovered Evidence (if applicable):

Description of new evidence: [________________________________]
Date discovered: [__/__/____]
Why not available before or during hearing despite diligence: [________________________________]
How this evidence would have materially affected the outcome: [________________________________]

SECTION 6 — GROUNDS FOR RECONSIDERATION AND LEGAL ARGUMENT

Ground 1: [________________________________]

Specific Error in the Decision:

[Identify the precise finding of fact, conclusion of law, or penalty determination that is erroneous. Cite the page and paragraph of the decision.]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Legal Standard:

[State the applicable standard. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-51(b), the court may reverse or modify the agency's decision if the substantial rights of the petitioner may have been prejudiced because the agency's findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions are: (1) in violation of constitutional provisions; (2) in excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the agency; (3) made upon unlawful procedure; (4) affected by other error of law; (5) unsupported by substantial evidence in view of the entire record; or (6) arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion.]

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Argument:

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

Supporting Authorities:

• North Carolina Statute: [________________________________]
• North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC): [________________________________]
• Case Law: [________________________________]
• Agency Precedent: [________________________________]

Ground 2: [________________________________]

Specific Error:

[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Legal Standard:

[________________________________]

Argument:

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

Supporting Authorities:

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

Ground 3 (if applicable): [________________________________]

Specific Error:

[________________________________]

Argument:

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

Supporting Authorities:

• [________________________________]
• [________________________________]

SECTION 7 — RELIEF REQUESTED

Petitioner respectfully requests that the Agency/ALJ:

☐ Vacate the Decision in its entirety and dismiss the proceeding

☐ Modify the Decision as follows: [________________________________]

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

☐ Reopen the record to receive newly discovered evidence described herein

☐ Reduce the penalty from [________________________________] to [________________________________], with reasoning: [________________________________]

☐ Reduce the disciplinary action from [________________________________] to [________________________________]

☐ Stay the effective date of the decision pending resolution of this Petition

☐ Other: [________________________________]

SECTION 8 — EXHIBITS

SECTION 9 — VERIFICATION

I, [________________________________], do solemnly declare under the penalties of perjury that the foregoing Petition for Reconsideration is true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and that I am authorized to file this Petition on behalf of Petitioner.

Executed on [__/__/____] at [________________________________], North Carolina.

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

SECTION 10 — SIGNATURE BLOCK

Respectfully submitted,

_________________________________
[________________________________] (Attorney Name)
North Carolina State Bar No.: [________________________________]
[________________________________] (Firm Name)
[________________________________] (Address)
[________________________________], NC [____]
Telephone: ([____]) [____]-[____]
Email: [________________________________]

Counsel for Petitioner [________________________________]

Date: [__/__/____]

SECTION 11 — CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on [__/__/____], I served a true and correct copy of the foregoing Petition for Reconsideration and all exhibits upon the following parties by the method(s) indicated:

Agency Clerk / Docket Office:
[________________________________]
[________________________________], NC [____]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Overnight courier ☐ Email: [________________________________] ☐ Agency e-filing system

Agency Legal Counsel / Attorney General's Office:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Email: [________________________________]

Opposing Party / Complainant:
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
☐ Personal delivery ☐ First-class U.S. Mail ☐ Email: [________________________________]

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

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

SECTION 12 — NEXT STEPS AND JUDICIAL REVIEW

12.1 Agency Action on Petition:

The agency or ALJ may:

• Grant reconsideration and reconsider the case on the merits
• Grant rehearing or supplemental proceedings
• Modify, vacate, or affirm the decision
• Deny the petition in writing
• Take no action (effectively a denial)

12.2 Judicial Review — Superior Court:

Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-43 through § 150B-52, judicial review is sought by filing a petition for judicial review in the Superior Court:

• Where to file: Superior Court of Wake County or the superior court of the county where the petitioner resides (§ 150B-45)
• Deadline: Within 30 days after the petitioner is served with a written copy of the final decision (§ 150B-45). This is jurisdictional.
• Standard of review under § 150B-51(b): The court may reverse or modify if the decision: violates constitutional provisions; exceeds statutory authority; was made upon unlawful procedure; is affected by error of law; is unsupported by substantial evidence; or is arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion
• Record on review: The agency must transmit the official record to the reviewing court under § 150B-47

12.3 Preservation of Issues:

All issues intended to be raised on judicial review should be raised in this Petition. Under North Carolina law, issues not raised before the agency may not be raised on judicial review unless grounds for excuse exist (§ 150B-51(b)).

12.4 Stay Pending Review:

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 150B-48 provides that the filing of a petition for judicial review does not automatically stay enforcement of the agency decision. A stay may be sought from the reviewing court.

This template was prepared for use in North Carolina administrative proceedings under N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 150B. Because North Carolina's APA does not contain a universal reconsideration provision, the availability of reconsideration depends on each agency's specific rules. The 30-day judicial review deadline under § 150B-45 is strict and jurisdictional — do not rely on a reconsideration petition to toll this deadline without express authority. This template must be reviewed and customized by a qualified attorney licensed in North Carolina before use.