In addition to the powers and authority, either express or implied, granted to the oil conservation commission or division by virtue of the statutes of the state of New Mexico, the division is hereby authorized and empowered in prescribing its rules of order or procedure in connection with hearings or other proceedings before the division to provide for the appointment of one or more examiners to be members of the staff of the division to conduct hearings with respect to matters properly coming before the division and to make reports and recommendations to the director of the division with respect thereto. Any member of the commission or the director of the division or his authorized representative may serve as an examiner as provided herein. The division shall promulgate rules and regulations with regard to hearings to be conducted before examiners, and the powers and duties of the examiners in any particular case may be limited by order of the division to particular issues or to the performance of particular acts. In the absence of any limiting order, an examiner appointed to hear any particular case shall have the power to regulate all proceedings before him and to perform all acts and take all measures necessary or proper for the efficient and orderly conduct of such hearing, including the swearing of witnesses, receiving of testimony and exhibits offered in evidence subject to such objections as may be imposed, and shall cause a complete record of the proceeding to be made and transcribed and shall certify the same to the director of the division for consideration together with the report of the examiner and his recommendations in connection therewith. The director of the division shall base the decision rendered in any matter or proceeding heard by an examiner upon the transcript of testimony and record made by or under the supervision of the examiner in connection with such proceeding, and such decision shall have the same force and effect as if the hearing had been conducted before the director of the division. When any matter or proceeding is referred to an examiner and a decision is rendered thereon, any party of record adversely affected shall have the right to have the matter heard de novo before the commission upon application filed with the division within thirty days from the time any such decision is rendered.
History: 1953 Comp., § 65-3-11.1, enacted by Laws 1955, ch. 235, § 1; 1961, ch. 62, § 1; 1977, ch. 255, § 48; 1981, ch. 63, § 1.