Hearings at the Labor Commission
A hearing is an informal trial at the Labor Commission. A Judge will be present to hear the evidence. Let the Judge know that you respect the court by wearing appropriate clothing. A suit and tie is not required, but dress nicely. For the same reason you must be respectful to the other side. It is rude and disrespectful to the court to roll your eyes, gasp or shout “that is a lie” when the other side says things you believe are wrong. The injured worker always gets the last word. Allow your attorney to present the evidence on your side at the proper time.
The Utah Labor Commission currently has six excellent Judges. Hon. Heather Gunnerson, Hon. Aurora Holley, Hon. Lorrie Lima, Hon. Deidre Marlowe, Hon. Coleen Traynor, and, for Southern Utah cases, Hon. Cheryl Luke. Each judge does things a little differently, or may request a hearing be handled differently than normal with no warning. An experienced attorney has no problem changing plans on the fly. At Atkin & Associates we do our best to help our clients know what to expect, but we are also prepared for all the surprises that can, and do, happen at hearing.
Normally, at the beginning of the hearing the Judge will address preliminary issues with the attorneys. This will include admission of the medical exhibit and other formalities. The attorneys will then present opening statements to outline how they see the issues of the case, and disputes for the Judge. Then testimony is presented, starting with the injured worker's testimony.
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