Connecticut Regulations § 9-7b-32 Designation of parties

(a) In issuing the notice of hearing, the executive director and general counsel or his designee shall designate as a party any person known to the Commission whose legal rights, duties or privileges are required by statute to be determined by a commission proceeding and who is required by law to be a party in a commission proceeding and any person whose participation as a party is then deemed to be necessary to the proper disposition of the proceeding. The respondent or respondents shall be a party or parties to the proceedings. Subsequent to the issuance of the notice of hearing, no person before the Commission other than a respondent who is identified in the notice of hearing has standing as a party within the definition set forth in subsection (8) of Section 4-166 of the General Statutes except (1) upon the express order of the hearing officer, and (2) that a complainant shall be a party to a hearing required under the federal Help America Vote Act.

(b) Any person who is not identified as a party in the notice of hearing may petition the hearing officer for admission as a party subsequent to the issuance of the notice and prior to the commencement of oral testimony in any hearing. The petition shall be in writing, signed by the petitioner or his authorized representative and shall be served on the Commission and the parties, at least five days before the hearing. The petition shall state facts that demonstrate that the petitioner's legal rights, duties or privileges shall be specifically affected by the Commission's decision. The hearing officer shall rule on the petition prior to the commencement of any oral testimony in the hearing and shall notify the petitioner of the ruling in writing unless the petitioner is present at the contested case hearing.

(c) The hearing officer may remove as a party any person whose rights, duties or privileges are determined not to be at issue in the contested case.

(d) The conferring of party status shall not be deemed to be an admission by the Commission that such party may be aggrieved by any final decision, order or ruling of the Commission.