The National Association of Hearing Officials, Inc., is a professional nonprofit organization formed in 1987 comprised of individuals involved in the process of administrative adjudication. The twelve-member Board of Directors is elected by NAHO's membership and represents all sections of the country and a variety of administrative jurisdictions.

The mission of the National Association of Hearing Officials is to improve the fairness and effectiveness of the administrative hearing process, thus benefiting hearing officials, their employing agencies, and the individuals those agencies serve by:                                                 ~promoting professionalism;                 ~offering instruction on sound administrative adjudication practices and procedures;   ~providing year-round continuing legal and adjudicative education;                                         ~affording a national forum for discussion of important issues; and                                         ~furnishing leadership concerning the administrative hearing process.

NAHO does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, political affiliation, gender, gender expression, age, national origin/ethnicity, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations. NAHO's membership reflects racial, ethnic, and gender diversity.

2024 NAHO MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Professional Development Conferences: 

NAHO's 2024 Annual Professional Development Conference will be held in person, December 3, 4, and 5 in Savannah, Georgia.  Two to three different class sessions will be offered for each hour of the conference, with almost forty hours of CLE-quality class from which to choose. Completion of the entire conference would garner 17 hours of continuing legal education credits. 

NAHO offers one Virtual Mini-Conference each year offering three hours of continuing legal education classes.

View past conference brochures and classes offered here or at the Professional Development tab above.

Certification: NAHO is the only national organization of administrative hearing officials which has a certification program for Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers. Upon successful completion of the educational and professional requirements and approval by the NAHO Board, a three-year certification is granted which can be renewed simply by keeping current on training in administrative adjudication.

Webinars:  NAHO will provide four to six free one-hour continuing legal education webinars to its members during 2024. 

NAHO's CLE webinars are always held on the third Thursday of the month at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 12:00 p.m. Central, 11:00 a.m. Mountain, and 10:00 a.m. Pacific to make it convenient for members to schedule their ongoing CLE classes around their dockets.

On-Demand Instruction: NAHO maintains a library of videos recorded from Professional Development Conferences and Webinars, which can be accessed by members online for a small fee. Viewing NAHO videos may also qualify for education credits toward NAHO certification and for self-study CLE credits in some states.

Customized Group Training: An agency may request customized training for their member-adjudicators in a particular area of administrative law or on specialized subjects. This training may be held virtually or on-site. If every member of the prospective group to be trained is a NAHO member, the only cost for the training is the cost incurred by the presenters in providing the training.

The NAHO News: NAHO's periodic newsletter keeps members informed about NAHO's activities and upcoming events. Members are encouraged to contribute articles of interest to administrative adjudicators.

Social Media Presence: Members can connect with NAHO by following NAHO on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

NAHO Merchandise: Merchandise with the NAHO logo has long been available to members attending its in-person conferences. It will soon be available via the NAHO website. NAHO-logoed items include t-shirts, caps, padfolios, lapel pins, and face masks. Personalized, monogrammed NAHO items are available by special order.

Networking: NAHO is in the process of updating its website with new features to connect members.  Members will be able to join a Section at no extra charge and access the email address of other members who conduct the same or similar types of hearings. There will also be a members-only blog on which members can share their comments on current events of interest to administrative adjudicators. Virtual Section meetings are also in development so members can connect in person. 

Webinars for 2024

Current NAHO members may attend monthly webinars free of charge but advance registration is required.

Webinars are 60 minutes and are scheduled on the 3rd Thursday of the month at: 

1:00 p.m. Eastern

12:00 p.m. Central

11:00 a.m. Mountain

10:00 a.m. Pacific

9:00 a.m. Alaska

7:00 a.m. Hawaii

Webinar for July 18, 2024:

 

Applied Ethics for Hearing Officials: Maintaining Neutrality and Decorum (M)

Many ethics classes are a recitation of ethics rules. While that has value, this class in applied ethics, examines dilemmas that often arise in administrative hearings and encourages class attendees to help decide what the appropriate and most ethical course of action might be for that situation. There are many different ways of handling ethical dilemmas. Often the answer to “What would you do?” is “It depends,” which will allow participants to voice their experiences and points of view. Join us for an interactive review of how ethics should govern different hearing scenarios.

Instructors:

Toni Boone, Administrative Law Judge Nevada Dept. of Motor Vehicles (retired)

Toni Boone was final authority on thousands of high-volume cases and hundreds of complex cases in her 31 years as an administrative law judge. She has been a member of the administrative law faculty for the National Judicial College for 23 years and was awarded NJC’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2019. She is an alumna of the University of Arkansas where she was a Truman Scholar. She is NAHO-certified and serves as NAHO's Conference Chair.       

W. Michael Gillette, Associate Justice (OR) Oregon Supreme Court (retired)

Mick Gillette holds a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA, cum laude, from Whitman College. He served in various capacities for the Oregon Department of Justice before serving on the Oregon Court of Appeals for 8 years, and on the Oregon Supreme Court for 25 years. He has taught at the National Judicial College for 43 years and received NJC’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. He also served as an adjunct professor at Willamette University School of Law.

Ad-Applied Ethics for Hearing Officials.pdf

Webinar for August 15, 2024:

Working on the Front Lines:

Dealing with Confused or Upset Litigants (M)

It's summer time and temperatures and tempers are rising!!! Refresh your skills to for keeping your cool while dealing with confused or upset litigants and handling threats of harm. But don't worry, we'll also share some tips to help you manage your stress, because let's face it, your job is not easy! This webinar is appropriate for all hearing officials and staff members who deal with the public. 

Instructors:

Caroline A, Stephens Ryker, CALJ

Caroline A. Stephens Ryker currently serves as an Administrative Judge for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (Indianapolis Office). Ms. Stephens Ryker has also served as an Administrative Law Judge for Indiana’s Central Panel (the Indiana Office of Administrative Law Proceedings) and as an agency-embedded Administrative Law Judge with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission. Ms. Stephens Ryker is deeply passionate about administrative law and civil rights, and she is excited to help support NAHO’s mission to make great education available to hearing officials. Ms. Stephens Ryker is NAHO’s Central Region Representative.

Ms. Stephens Ryker graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis, Indiana. She obtained her BA in English and her BA in Communications from Indiana University, Bloomington, along with a certificate in Political and Civil Engagement. Ms. Stephens Ryker attended her first NAHO conference in September of 2018, after which she became a NAHO member, and in 2021, she completed NAHO’s certification program.

Bobbie Marshall, Fair and Fraud Hearings Assistant Director

Bobbie Marshall is the Assistant Director of Fair and Fraud Hearings for Texas Health and Human Services Commission. She has served as a Hearings Manager for two years, Lead Hearings Officer for two years, a Hearings Officer for four years, and has worked for the State of Texas for 15 years. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Sciences degree from Texas Tech University. She currently serves as NAHO's Vice President.

Webinar for September 19, 2024:

Emoticons & Emojis as

Evidence:

Interpreting Digital

Wordless Communication (E)

Instructors:

Caroline A, Stephens Ryker, ALJ 

Bobbie Marshall, Fair and Fraud Hearings Assistant Director

Wordless communication (emoticons, emojis, memes, GIFs, JPEGs, and other pictures) has grown exponentially as a result of texting and social networking. It was inevitable that these wordless messages would one day end up in legal proceedings. You may think their meaning is obvious, but the meaning intended by the sender may be different from the way the recipient interprets it. The facts and circumstances, the context surrounding the wordless message, must be examined for meaning. While some appellate courts have issued rulings regarding the meaning of wordless communication, a consensus among the courts is lacking. This class looks at common forms of wordless communication that may be offered as evidence in administrative hearings, and what hearing officials should consider when this occurs.

October, 17, 2024:

NAHO Section Meetings