A. Upon any complaint in writing under oath being made by any person, or by the Commission of its own motion, setting forth any act or thing done or omitted to be done by any person in violation, or claimed violation, of any provision of law, or of any order or rule of the Commission, the Commission shall enter same upon its docket and shall immediately serve a copy thereof upon each defendant together with a notice directed to each defendant requiring that the matter complained of be answered, in writing, within ten (10) days of the date of service of such notice, provided that the Commission may, in its discretion, require particular cases to be answered within a shorter time, and the Commission may, for good cause shown, extend the time in which an answer may be filed.
Upon the filing of the answer herein provided for, the Commission shall set a time and place for the hearing, and notice of the time and place of the hearing shall be served not less than ten (10) days before the time set therefor, unless the Commission shall find that public necessity requires the hearing at an earlier date.
B. The Commission may, in all matters within its jurisdiction, issue subpoenas, subpoenas duces tecum, and all necessary process in proceedings pending before the Commission; may administer oaths, examine witnesses, compel the production of records, books, papers, files, documents, contracts, correspondence, agreements, or accounts necessary for any investigation being conducted, and certify official acts.
C. In case of failure on the part of any person to comply with any lawful order of the Commission, or of any Commissioner, or with any subpoena or subpoena duces tecum, or to testify concerning any matter on which he may be lawfully interrogated, the Commission may compel obedience by proceedings for contempt as in the case of disobedience of the requirements of a subpoena, or of the refusal to testify.
D. Witnesses who are summoned before the Commission shall be paid the same fees and mileage as are paid to witnesses in courts of record. Any party to a proceeding at whose instance a subpoena is issued and served shall pay the costs incident thereto and the fees for mileage of all his witnesses.
E. In event any process shall be directed to any nonresident who is authorized to do business in this state, the process may be served upon the agent designated by the nonresident for the service of process, and service upon the agent shall be as sufficient and as effective as if served upon the nonresident.
F. All process issued by the Commission shall extend to all parts of the state and any such process, together with the service of all notices issued by the Commission, as well as copies of complaints, rules, orders and regulations of the Commission, may be served by any person authorized to serve process issued out of courts of record, or by certified mail.
G. After the conclusion of any hearing, the Commission shall, within sixty (60) days, make and file its findings and order, with its opinion. Its findings shall be in sufficient detail to enable any court in which any action of the Commission is involved to determine the controverted questions presented by the proceeding. A copy of such order, certified under the seal of the Commission, shall be served upon the person against whom it runs, or the attorney of the person, and notice thereof shall be given to the other parties to the proceedings or their attorneys. The order shall take effect and become operative within fifteen (15) days after the service thereof, unless otherwise provided. If an order cannot, in the judgment of the Commission, be complied with within fifteen (15) days, the Commission may grant and prescribe such additional time as in its judgment is reasonably necessary to comply with the order, and may, on application and for good cause shown, extend the time for compliance fixed in the order.
H. In the event the Commission finds that the defendant is guilty upon any complaint filed and proceeding had and that the provisions of law, or the rules, regulations or orders of this Commission have been willfully and knowingly violated and the violator holds a permit or certificate or license issued by the Commission authorizing it to engage in the transportation of persons or property for hire, then such permit or certificate or license may also be revoked by the Commission.
I. Where a complaint is instituted by any person other than the Commission of its own motion and in the event the Commission should find that the complaint was not in good faith, the complaining party shall be required to pay the defendant's attorney's fee, the fee to be prescribed by the Commission in accordance with applicable Oklahoma Bar Association standards.
J. Any person aggrieved by any findings and order of the Commission may appeal to the Supreme Court in the way and manner now or hereafter provided for appeals from the district court to the Supreme Court.
Added by Laws 1968, c. 190, § 26. Amended by Laws 1969, c. 93, § 1, emerg. eff. March 25, 1969; Laws 1995, c. 143, § 29, eff. Nov. 1, 1995.