Availability. The Director may, at any time, direct that any matter be submitted to him or her for review. Subject to paragraph (c) of this section, the hearing officer may, on his or her own motion or on the motion of any party, certify any matter for interlocutory review by the Director. This section is the exclusive remedy for review of a hearing officer's ruling or order prior to the Director's consideration of the entire proceeding.

Procedure. Any party's motion for certification of a ruling or order for interlocutory review shall be filed with the hearing officer within five days of service of the ruling or order, shall specify the ruling or order or parts thereof for which interlocutory review is sought, shall attach any other portions of the record on which the moving party relies, and shall otherwise comply with § 1081.205. Notwithstanding § 1081.205, any response to such a motion must be filed within three days of service of the motion. The hearing officer shall issue a ruling on the motion within five days of the deadline for filing a response.

Certification process. Unless the Director directs otherwise, a ruling or order may not be submitted to the Director for interlocutory review unless the hearing officer, upon the hearing officer's motion or upon the motion of a party, certifies the ruling or order in writing. The hearing officer shall not certify a ruling or order unless:

The ruling or order would compel testimony of Bureau officers or employees, or those from another governmental agency, or the production of documentary evidence in the custody of the Bureau or another governmental agency;

The ruling or order involves a motion for disqualification of the hearing officer pursuant to § 1081.105(c)(2);

The ruling or order suspended or barred an individual from appearing before the Bureau pursuant to § 1081.107(c); or

Upon motion by a party, the hearing officer is of the opinion that:

The ruling or order involves a controlling question of law as to which there is substantial ground for difference of opinion; and

An immediate review of the ruling or order is likely to materially advance the completion of the proceeding or subsequent review will be an inadequate remedy.

Interlocutory review. A party whose motion for certification has been denied by the hearing officer may petition the Director for interlocutory review.

Director review. The Director shall determine whether or not to review a ruling or order certified under this section or the subject of a petition for interlocutory review. Interlocutory review is disfavored, and the Director will grant a petition to review a hearing officer's ruling or order prior to his or her consideration of a recommended decision only in extraordinary circumstances. The Director may decline to review a ruling or order certified by a hearing officer pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section or the petition of a party who has been denied certification if he or she determines that interlocutory review is not warranted or appropriate under the circumstances, in which case he or she may summarily deny the petition. If the Director determines to grant the review, he or she will review the matter and issue his or her ruling and order in an expeditious fashion, consistent with the Bureau's other responsibilities.

Proceedings not stayed. The filing of a motion requesting that the hearing officer certify any of his or her prior rulings or orders for interlocutory review or a petition for interlocutory review filed with the Director, and the grant of any such review, shall not stay proceedings before the hearing officer unless he or she, or the Director, shall so order. The Director will not consider a motion for a stay unless the motion shall have first been made to the hearing officer.