State of Maryland

A Chief Public Utility Law Judge Public Service Commission (PSC) is the supervisory level of work in the field of public service company regulation conducting quasi-judicial hearings of formal cases that originate before the Public Service Commission.  Employees in this classification oversee the Public Service Commission’s Public Utility Law Judge Division and conduct quasi-judicial hearings of the greatest complexity.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Public Utility Law Judges.

Employees in this classification receive no supervision that controls the ruling or influences the substance of the resulting decisions.   The independent nature of the position is specified by law (Public Utilities Article, Title 2, Subtitle 108, Annotated Code of Maryland) which directs that the Public Utility Law Judge Division be a separate unit with its Chief reporting directly to the Commission.  The work requires travel statewide to conduct hearings.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Chief Public Utility Law Judge, Public Service Commission is differentiated from the Public Utility Law Judge Senior, Public Service Commission in that the Chief Public Utility Law Judge PSC has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Public Utility Law Judges and conducts hearings for the most complex cases while Public Utility Law Judge Senior, Public Service Commission is responsibility for cases that are more complex and may provide technical guidance to lower-level Public Utility Law Judges Public Service Commission.

Directs the administrative operation of the Public Service Commission’s Public Utility Law Judge Division;

Supervises and trains professional staff members;

Assists the Commission in formulating policy for the regulation of public utilities in Maryland;

Conducts formal hearings on behalf of the Public Service Commission of Maryland in matters of great complexity;

Files a Proposed Order which is the Commission’s decision in the case, unless a party appeals to, or it is taken up by the Commission on its own motion for review;

Determines credibility and substantiality of testimony and makes findings of fact and conclusions of laws;

Prepares clear, technically sound, accurate and comprehensive decisions of matters heard containing findings and conclusions;

Administers oaths and affirmations;

Rules upon offers of proof and receives relevant evidence;

Holds pre-hearing conferences for the settlement or simplification of the issues;

Disposes of procedural requests or similar matters;

May coordinate with the General Counsel the participation of Public Utility Law Judges in proceedings before State and federal courts and federal agencies;

May sit with two members of the Commission as a panel in the hearing of formal cases;

May participate with the General Counsel, in the representation of the Commission before State and federal courts and federal agencies, including arguing appeals and trying cases;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of laws, rules, regulations and procedures relating to public service company regulations in Maryland;

Knowledge of the Maryland Public Service Commission policies relating to public utility regulations in Maryland;

Ability to supervise a professional staff;

Ability to direct the quasi-judicial work of the Commission;

Ability to render a fair decision and to present data, comments and opinions effectively;

Ability to preside and conduct hearings in a dignified, orderly and impartial manner;

Ability to determine credibility of witnesses;

Ability to sift and analyze evidence;

Ability to apply agency and court decisions;

Ability to exercise sound judgment;

Ability to handle controversial situations;

Ability to be objective and free from influence of any kind in evaluating evidence and making decisions.

Education:   A Juris Doctor degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law and admission to the Maryland Bar.

Experience: Six years of experience researching and presenting major rate cases involving public service companies for formal governmental hearing.

                                                                              OR            

Three years of experience hearing cases and drafting the decisions in major rate cases before a utility regulatory commission.

Note: Candidates may substitute three additional years of experience hearing cases and drafting the decisions in major rate cases before a utility regulatory commission for admission to the Maryland Bar.

Class Descriptions are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies.  Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

This is a Management Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Management Service positions.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of S (supervisor), M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board of Commission member), W (student), X (Used by agency or excluded by executive order), or Z (confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102 Annotated Code of Maryland, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.