On review, the Commission may, in its discretion and after appropriate consideration of the notice given to the parties, consider sua sponte any issues arising from the record before it and may base its determination thereon. The Commission may also limit its consideration to those issues specifically raised in the parties' briefs, treating all other issues as waived.

(a) Request by Commission staff. At any time prior to the effective date of a final decision of the National Futures Association in a disciplinary, membership denial or registration action, the Division of Enforcement, the Market Participants Division, the Division of Clearing and Risk, the Division of Market Oversight, or the Division of Data may file and serve a memorandum requesting the Commission to institute review of the National Futures Association proceeding. The filing of such a memorandum shall stay the effective date of the decision at issue for twenty days.

(b) Response by the National Futures Association. The National Futures Association may file a response to the memorandum of the Commission staff within fifteen days of the service of the memorandum.

(c) Commission determination of staff request. To preserve the status quo while it determines whether review is apropriate, the Commission may extend the stay of the effective date of the decision at issue for an additional 30 days. If the Commission decides to take review, the effective date of the decision at issue shall be stayed pending the decision of the Commission, unless otherwise ordered. The Commission shall by order establish the procedure for submission of both the record of the proceeding and the briefs of the parties to the proceeding.

(d) Commission review on its own motion. At any time prior to the effective date of a final decision of the National Futures Association in a disciplinary, membership denial or registration action, the Commission may take review of a decision by issuing an appropriate order. If the Commission determines that it is appropriate to take review on its own motion, it shall by order establish the procedure for submission of both the record of the proceeding and the briefs of the parties.

(a) On motion of Commission. On its own motion, the Commission may, in its discretion, hear oral argument in a proceeding.

(b) On request of party. Any party may file with the Proceedings Clerk a request in writing for the opportunity to present oral argument before the Commission, which the Commission may, in its discretion, grant or deny. A request under this paragraph must be filed concurrently with the party's brief.

(c) Reporting and transcription. Oral argument before the Commission will be recorded and transcribed unless the Commission directs otherwise. In the event the Commission affords the parties the opportunity to present oral argument before the Commission, the oral argument will proceed in accordance with the provisions of § 10.103(b) of this chapter.

(a) Opinion and order. Upon review, the Commission may affirm, modify, set aside, or remand for further proceedings, in whole or in part, the decision of the National Futures Association. The Commission's decision will be contained in its opinion and order which will be based upon the record before it, including the record of the registered futures association proceeding, briefs submitted to the Commission by the parties and any oral argument made in accordance with § 171.32. Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the opinion and order will constitute the final decision of the Commission, effective upon service on the parties. In the event the Commission is equally divided as to its decision, the decision of the National Futures Association shall be affirmed without a Commission opinion.

(b) Order of summary affirmance. If the Commission finds that the result reached in the decision of the National Futures Association is substantially correct and that none of the arguments on appeal made by the appellant raise important questions of law or policy, the Commission may, by appropriate order, summarily affirm the decision without opinion. The decision of the National Futures Association shall constitute the Commission's final decision, effective upon service. Unless the Commission expressly indicates otherwise in its order, an order of summary affirmance does not reflect a Commission determination to adopt the rationale of the National Futures Association, and neither the order of summary affirmance nor the underlying order shall serve as Commission precedent in other proceedings.

(a) Disciplinary actions. In reviewing a final decision of the National Futures Association in a disciplinary action, the Commission shall affirm the order of the National Futures Association, unless the Commission finds that:

(1) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with fundamental fairness;

(2) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with the rules of the National Futures Association;

(3) The weight of the evidence does not support the findings of the National Futures Association concerning the relevant acts or practices engaged in or omitted;

(4) The determination that the acts or practices engaged in or omitted violated rules of the National Futures Association does not rest on a reasonable interpretation of the rules at issue;

(5) The National Futures Association's application of its rules is not consistent with the purposes of the Act;

(6) The National Futures Association's choice of sanction is excessive or oppressive in light of the violations found having due regard for the public interest.

(b) Membership denial actions. In reviewing a final decision of the National Futures Association in a membership denial action, the Commission shall affirm the order of the National Futures Association, unless the Commission finds that:

(1) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with fundamental fairness;

(2) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with the rules of the National Futures Association;

(3) The weight of the evidence does not support the findings made or adopted in the final decision;

(4) The conclusion of the National Futures Association is not consistent with the purposes of the Act.

(c) Registration actions. In reviewing a decision of the National Futures Association in a registration action, the Commission shall affirm the order of the National Futures Association unless the Commission finds that:

(1) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with fundamental fairness;

(2) The proceedings were not conducted in a manner consistent with the rules of the National Futures Association;

(3) The weight of the evidence does not support the findings made or adopted in the final decision;

(4) The conclusion of the National Futures Association is not consistent with the purposes of the Act.