Arizona Revised Statutes Title 41. State Government § 41-1092.06. Appeals of agency actions and contested cases; informal settlement conferences; applicability

A. If requested by the appellant of an appealable agency action or the respondent in a contested case, the agency shall hold an informal settlement conference within fifteen days after receiving the request. A request for an informal settlement conference shall be in writing and shall be filed with the agency no later than twenty days before the hearing. If an informal settlement conference is requested, the agency shall notify the office of the request and the outcome of the conference, except as provided in § 41-1092.01, subsection F. The request for an informal settlement conference does not toll the sixty day period in which the administrative hearing is to be held pursuant to § 41-1092.05.

B. If an informal settlement conference is held, a person with the authority to act on behalf of the agency must represent the agency at the conference. The agency representative shall notify the appellant in writing that statements, either written or oral, made by the appellant at the conference, including a written document, created or expressed solely for the purpose of settlement negotiations are inadmissible in any subsequent administrative hearing. The parties participating in the settlement conference shall waive their right to object to the participation of the agency representative in the final administrative decision.