Office of Administrative Hearings

Government Agencies  > Office of Administrative Hearings

Ray & Bishop, PLC is highly experienced in defending professional licenses in front of the California Office of Administrative Hearings. The Office of Administrative Hearings hears professional license discipline and denial cases for a variety of occupations, such as physicians, nurses, architects, insurance brokers, and real estate agents. Our firm has defended licensees and license applicants in front of many of the 75 administrative law judges (ALJs) that hear cases in the four OAH offices in Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Although administrative licensing agencies retain final decision-making authority, ALJs hear disciplinary cases and denial cases and write a proposed decision to send to the licensing agency for adoption or rejection. When a licensee or license applicant submits a request for hearing to the licensing agency, the licensing agency files the case with OAH, which assumes jurisdiction over the case until the case is settled, the accusation is withdrawn, or a judge issues a proposed decision. An ALJ is assigned to the case, and during the hearing, both sides have the opportunity to argue their case and present evidence. Hearings at the Office of Administrative Hearings are not informal meetings. The California Department of Justice, which prosecutes cases at OAH, will usually argue persuasively for revocation of a license. Succeeding at an administrative hearing requires legal knowledge and research, an effective defense, and extensive planning and organization. Ray & Bishop, PLC, has successfully represented clients in hundreds of these complex proceedings. After the hearing, the Administrative Law Judge will write a proposed decision and send it to the licensing agency, which can adopt, change, or reject the proposed decision. Although the licensing agency will most often adopt the proposed decision, we have seen many cases where the agency changes or rejects the proposed decision. It is essential to hire an attorney who has the legal knowledge and experience necessary to give you all the information you need to understand your decision and how it impacts your license. At Ray & Bishop, PLC, we have expertise in crafting effective defenses before administrative law judges, and our experience uniquely enables us to assist you in protecting your license.