<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".14" citation="COMAR 07.02.26.14" title_num="07" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="26" heading="Decision and Order.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Not later than 45 days after the hearing, OAH shall issue a decision and order to the:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Appellant or, if represented at the hearing by an attorney, the appellant’s attorney;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The local department’s appeal representative or attorney; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The Department.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>The decision and order shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Summarize the evidence presented; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Contain a determination as to whether the local department established by a preponderance of the evidence that its finding was consistent with the law and supported by credible evidence.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>If the ALJ upholds a local department's finding of the appellant as responsible for indicated child abuse or neglect, the ALJ shall permit the local department to identify the appellant as responsible for child abuse or neglect in a centralized confidential database.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>If the ALJ determines that the local department's finding or the identification of the appellant as responsible for unsubstantiated or indicated child abuse or neglect was not consistent with the law or not supported by credible evidence, the ALJ shall order the local department to do one or more of the following:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Modify the finding to indicated, unsubstantiated, or ruled out;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Expunge all references to the appellant as responsible for child abuse or neglect; or</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Change the type of maltreatment from:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Abuse to neglect; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Neglect to abuse.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>After OAH issues the decision and order, OAH shall return the contested case record to the Department.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>The ALJ's decision is subject to appeal by any party pursuant to State Government Article, §10-222, Annotated Code of Maryland.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>If the ALJ orders the local department to modify or expunge the finding, or expunge reference to the appellant as an individual responsible for child abuse or neglect and neither party appeals, the local department shall take the action within 30 days.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>