Fact finding conference
Pursuant to the Maryland Commission on Civil Rights’ Rules of Procedure [1], a fact-finding conference may been convened to:
- Define the basis and issues of the Complaint,
- Identify the areas of agreement and disagreement,
- Resolve disputes when possible, and
- Determine if there is a basis for a negotiated settlement of the complaint.
NOTE: Not all cases are granted a Fact Finding Conference
To facilitate this objective, the Complainant and the Complainant’s Representative (if applicable) along with the Respondent and the Respondent’s Representative (if applicable), will be scheduled to appear on a specified date and time to present relevant information and documentation in support of their respective positions at the fact finding conference. If warranted, this conference is mandatory for the Complainant and Respondent to attend.
Once the parties have had the opportunity to present relevant information and documentation; the Commission staff may take the opportunity to speak with both parties independently to determine if conditions exist for resolving the case immediately. If no settlement can be reached during this process, the case may require further investigation, which may involve additional documentation, site visits and/or witness interviews. Information provided to the investigator will not be shared with the other party, unless the party submitting the information, gives consent to share the information with the other party.
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[1]COMAR 14.03.04.12