7 C.F.R. § 283.18 – Motions and requests.

(a) Filing. All motions and requests shall be filed with the Hearing Clerk, and served upon all the parties by the moving or requesting party, except motions and requests made on the record during the oral hearing. The ALJ assigned to the appeal or the Chief Judge shall rule upon all motions and requests filed or made prior to seeking review of the ALJ's initial decision pursuant to § 283.20, except motions directly relating to such review. Thereafter, the Judicial Officer shall rule on any motions and requests as well as the motions directly relating to the review of the ALJ's initial decision.
(b) Time for filing. Any motion or request may be filed at any time, except that:
1. (1) Motions to dismiss pursuant to § 283.5 must be filed within the time allowed for filing an answer; and
2. (2) Motions for reconsideration must be filed within 30 days of service of the ALJ's initial decision pursuant to § 283.17(d).
(c) Contents. All written motions and requests shall state the particular order, ruling, or action desired and the grounds therefor.
(d) Response to motions and requests. Within 10 days after service of any written motion or request or within such shorter or longer period as may be fixed by the ALJ or Judicial Officer, an opposing party may file a response to the motion or request. The moving party shall have no right to reply to the response; however, the ALJ or Judicial Officer may order that a reply be filed.
(e) Certification to the Judicial Officer. The submission or certification of any motion, request, objection, or other question to the Judicial Officer prior to the seeking of review pursuant to § 283.20 shall be made by and in the discretion of the ALJ. The ALJ may either rule upon or certify the motion, request, objection, or other question to the Judicial Officer, but not both.