(b)

1. (1) The Arkansas Real Estate Commission's hearing officer shall preside over the hearing and regulate procedural aspects of the hearing, including ruling on admissibility of evidence and objections.
2. (2) The hearing officer shall advise the commission on questions of law.

(c)

1. (1) All persons appearing before the commission and giving testimony shall first be placed under oath.
2. (2) All testimony given shall be recorded and shall be a part of the record in the case.

(e)

1. (1) The hearing shall begin with presentation of the case against the respondent licensee or person allegedly engaged in unlicensed real estate activity.

2. (2)

   1. (A) Such presentation is ordinarily conducted by the commission’s staff counsel.
   2. (B) However, upon request, and at the discretion of the commission, counsel for the complainant may be permitted to participate.
3. (3) At the conclusion of such presentation, the respondent licensee, or person allegedly engaged in unlicensed real estate activity, may present evidence in defense of the charges, following which rebuttal testimony and evidence may be offered.
4. (4) Closing arguments may be called for or dispensed with at the discretion of the commission.

(f)

1. (1) The commission may receive into evidence such affidavits, depositions, certified copies of documents, photocopies of official records, and other exhibits as it deems appropriate, whether or not such documents are admissible under formal rules of evidence, together with such other evidence as may be admissible by law.
2. (2) The commission shall give to such evidence such weight as the commission shall determine appropriate under the circumstances.