Sec. 22.935  Procedures for comparative renewal proceedings.

    The procedures in this section apply to comparative renewal 
proceedings in the Cellular Radiotelephone Service.
    (a) If one or more applications competing with an application for 
renewal of a cellular authorization are filed, the renewal applicant 
must file with the FCC an original and four copies of its renewal 
expectancy showing. This filing must be submitted no later than 60 days 
after the date of the Public Notice listing as acceptable for filing the 
renewal application and the competing applications.
    (b) Interested parties may file petitions to deny any of the 
mutually exclusive applications. Any such petitions to deny must be 
filed no later than 30 days after the date that the renewal applicant 
submitted its renewal expectancy showing. Applicants may file replies to 
any petitions to deny applications that are filed. Any such replies must 
be filed no later than 15 days after the date that the petition(s) to 
deny was filed. No further pleadings will be accepted.

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    (c) In most instances, the renewal application and any competing 
applications will be designated for a two-step procedure. An 
Administrative Law Judge (Presiding Judge) will conduct a threshold 
hearing (step one), in which both the licensee and the competing 
applicants will be parties, to determine whether the renewal applicant 
deserves a renewal expectancy. If the order designating the applications 
for hearing specifies any basic qualifying issues against the licensee, 
those issues will be tried in this threshold hearing. If the Presiding 
Judge determines that the renewal applicant is basically qualified and 
due a renewal expectancy, the competing applicants will be found 
ineligible for further consideration and their applications will be 
denied. If the Presiding Judge determines that the renewal applicant 
does not merit a renewal expectancy but is otherwise qualified, then all 
of the applications will be considered in a comparative hearing (step 
two).
    (d) Any competing applicant may request a waiver of the threshold 
hearing (step one), if such applicant demonstrates that its proposal so 
far exceeds the service already being provided that there would be no 
purpose in making a threshold determination as to whether the renewal 
applicant deserved a renewal expectancy vis-a-vis such a competing 
applicant. Any such waiver request must be filed at the time the 
requestor's application is filed. Petitions opposing such waiver 
requests may be filed. Any such petitions must be filed no later than 30 
days after the date that the renewal applicant submitted its renewal 
expectancy showing. Replies to any petitions opposing such waiver 
requests may be filed. Any such replies must be filed no later than 15 
days after the date that the petition(s) were filed. No further 
pleadings will be accepted. Any waiver request submitted pursuant to 
this paragraph will be acted upon prior to designating the applications 
for hearing. If a request to waive the threshold hearing (step one) is 
granted, the renewal expectancy issue will be designated as part of the 
comparative hearing (step two), and will remain the most important 
comparative factor in deciding the case, as provided in Sec. 22.940(a).
    (e) If the Presiding Judge issues a ruling in the threshold (step 
one) that denies the licensee a renewal expectancy, all of the 
applicants involved in the proceeding will be allowed to file direct 
cases no later than 90 days after the release date of the Presiding 
Judge's ruling. Rebuttal cases must be filed no later than 30 days after 
the date that the direct cases were filed.
    (f) The Presiding Judge shall use the expedited hearing procedures 
delineated in this paragraph in both threshold (step one) and 
comparative (step two) hearings conducted in comparative cellular 
renewal proceedings.
    (1) The Presiding Judge will schedule a first hearing session as 
soon as practicable after the date for filing rebuttal evidence. This 
first session will be an evidentiary admission session at which each 
applicant will identify and offer its previously circulated direct and 
rebuttal exhibits, and each party will have an opportunity to lodge 
objections.
    (2) After accepting the exhibits into evidence, the Presiding Judge 
will entertain motions to cross-examine and rule whether any sponsoring 
witness needs to be produced for cross-examination.
    Determination of what, if any, cross-examination is necessary is 
within the sound judicial discretion of the Presiding Judge, the 
prevailing standard being whether the person requesting cross-
examination has persuasively demonstrated that written evidence is 
ineffectual to develop proof. If cross-examination is necessary, the 
Presiding Judge will specify a date for the appearance of all witnesses. 
In addition, if the designation order points out an area where 
additional underlying data is needed, the Presiding Judge will have the 
authority to permit the limited use of discovery procedures. Finally, 
the Presiding Judge may find that certain additional testimony or cross-
examination is needed to provide a complete record for the FCC. If so, 
the Presiding Judge may schedule a further session.
    (3) After the hearing record is closed, the Presiding Judge may 
request Proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions

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of Law to be filed no later than 30 days after the final hearing 
session. Replies are not permitted except in unusual cases and then only 
with respect to the specific issues named by the Presiding Judge.
    (4) The Presiding Judge will then issue an Initial Decision, 
preferably within 60 days of receipt of the last pleadings. If mutually 
exclusive applications are before the Presiding Judge, the Presiding 
Judge will determine which applicant is best qualified. The Presiding 
Judge may also rank the applicants in order of merit if there are more 
than two.
    (5) Parties will have 30 days in which to file exceptions to the 
Initial Decision.
[ 59 FR 59507 , Nov. 17, 1994, as amended at  62 FR 4172 , Jan. 29, 1997]