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CHAPTER 4.5. DIVISION OF WORKERS' COMPENSATION
SUBCHAPTER 1.9. RULES OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR
ARTICLE 8. PROCEDURES FOR REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ACTION BY A JUDGE

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§10280. Walk-Through Documents.

(a) A "walk-through" document is a document that is presented to a workers' compensation administrative law judge for immediate action. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 10250 (relating to the filing of declarations of readiness) and section 10544 (relating to notices of hearing), the following provisions shall govern walk-through documents.

(b) Each district office will have a designee of the presiding workers' compensation administrative law judge available to assign walk-through cases from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on court days.

(c) The following documents may be submitted on a walk-through basis:

  (1) Compromise and releases;  


  (2) Stipulations with request for award;  


  (3) Petitions for attorney's fees for representation of the applicant in vocational rehabilitation;  


  (4) Petitions for attorney's fees for representation of the applicant at a deposition; and  


  (5) Petitions to compel attendance at a medical examination or deposition.  


(d) The following procedures shall be followed for filing walk-through documents:

  (1) A walk-through settlement document (i.e., a compromise and release or a stipulations with request for award), and all supporting medical reports and other supporting documents not previously filed, shall be filed directly with the workers' compensation administrative law judge at the date and time of the walk-through. The party presenting the walk-through settlement shall use the appropriate form, document cover sheet, and document separator sheet. Permanent and stationary medical or medical-legal reports shall be indicated as such. In addition, each walk-through settlement document (i.e., a compromise and release or a stipulations with request for award) shall be accompanied by a proof of service showing that the settlement document was served on all other parties to the settlement, on any defendant not executing the settlement who may be liable for the payment of additional compensation, and on all lien claimants whose liens have not been resolved.  


  (A) A case opening settlement document being submitted for a walk-through shall be submitted no later than noon (12:00 p.m.) of the court day before any action on the walk-through, and shall be designated as a walk-through document. All documents in support of the settlement document shall be submitted at the walk-through with the assigned judge.  


  (2) A walk-through petition (i.e., a petition for vocational rehabilitation attorney's fees, a petition for deposition attorney's fees, or a petition to compel attendance at a medical examination or deposition) and all other documents relating to the walk-through petition, including any supporting documentation shall be filed directly with the workers' compensation administrative law judge at the date and time of the walk-through. The party presenting the walk-through petition shall use the appropriate form, document cover sheet, and document separator. In addition, at the date and time of the walk-through, the party filing the walk-through petition shall file a proof of service directly to the workers' compensation administrative law judge, as follows:  


  (A) For a petition for attorney's fees for representation of the applicant in vocational rehabilitation, a proof of service showing service on the injured worker and the defendant alleged to be liable for paying the fees.  


  (B) For a petition for attorney's fees for representation of the applicant at a deposition, a proof of service showing service on the injured worker and the defendant alleged to be liable for paying the fees.  


  (C) For a petition to compel attendance at a medical examination or deposition, a proof of service showing service on the injured worker, the injured worker's attorney, and all defendants.  


(e) When appearing for the walk-through proceeding, the party filing the walk-through document shall appear before the district office staff person designated by the presiding workers' compensation administrative law judge to assign the walk-through document to a workers' compensation administrative law judge. The filing party shall then appear before the assigned judge. If the assigned judge is unavailable for any reason, the filing party shall then proceed to the presiding workers' compensation administrative law judge for possible reassignment to another judge.

(f) A workers' compensation administrative law judge who is presented with a walk-through settlement document shall approve it, disapprove it, suspend action on it, or accept it for later review and action. If a workers' compensation administrative law judge is presented with so many walk-through settlement documents that review of them will interfere with the cases scheduled before him or her for hearing, the judge may refer the walk-through settlement to the presiding judge for possible reassignment to another judge.

(g) A walk-through document may be acted on only by a workers' compensation administrative law judge at the district office that has venue. If an injured worker has existing cases at two or more district offices that have venue, a walk-through document may be filed at any office having venue over an existing case that is a subject of the walk-through document. An existing case is a case that has been filed and assigned a case number prior to the filing of the walk-through document.

(h) A walk-through document may be acted on by any workers' compensation administrative law judge except as follows:

  (1) If a judge has taken testimony, any walk-through document in that case must be acted on by the judge who took testimony if that judge works at the district office to which the case is assigned, unless the presiding judge allows it to be acted on by another judge.  


  (2) If a judge has reviewed a document and declined to approve it, a walk-through document in that case must be acted on by the same judge, if that judge works at the district office to which the case is assigned, unless the presiding judge allows it to be acted on by another judge.  


(i) A workers' compensation judge who is presented with a walk-through petition for attorney's fees or petition to compel attendance shall issue an order in compliance with section 10349.


     Note: Authority cited: Sections 127.5, 133 and 5307(c), Labor Code. Reference: Sections 4053, 4054, 5001, 5002, 5702 and 5710, Labor Code.  

 HISTORY 
   
1. New article 8 (sections 10280-10281) and section filed 11-17-2008; operative 11-17-2008 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2008, No. 47).

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