A local board shall consider and determine all claims which it receives in accord with § 1633.2 or § 1648.6 of this chapter. No action shall be taken by the board in the absence of a quorum of its prescribed membership.

(a) A registrant who has filed a claim for classification in Class 1-A-O or Class 1-O shall be scheduled for a personal appearance in accord with § 1648.4 before his claim is considered.

(b) A registrant who has filed a claim for classification in Class 2-D, Class 3-A, or Class 4-D, shall, upon his written request, be afforded an opportunity to appear in person before the board before his claim for classification is considered.

(c) Any registrant who has filed a claim for classification in an administrative class and whose claim has been denied, shall be afforded an opportunity to appear before the board if he requests that the denial of such claim be reviewed by the board.

(a) Not less than 10 days (unless the registrant requests an earlier appointment) in advance of the meeting at which he may appear, the registrant shall be informed of the time and place of such meeting and that he may present evidence, including witnesses, bearing on his classification.

(b) Should the registrant who has filed a claim for classification in Class 1-A-O or Class 1-O fail to appear at his scheduled personal appearance, the board will not consider his claim for classification in Class 1-A-O or Class 1-O. The board shall consider any written explanation of such failure that has been filed within 5 days (or extension thereof granted by the board) after such failure to appear. It the board determines that the registrant's failure to appear was for good cause it shall reschedule the registrant's personal appearance. If the board does not receive a timely written explanation of the registrant's failure to appear for his scheduled personal appearance or if the board determines that the registrant's failure to appear was not for good cause, the registrant will be deemed to have abandoned his claim for Class 1-A-O or 1-O and will be notified that his claim will not be considered. The board will notify the registrant in writing of its action under this paragraph.

(c) Whenever a registrant who has filed a claim for a class other than Class 1-A-0 or Class 1-0 for whom a personal appearance has been scheduled, fails to appear in accord with such schedule, the board shall consider any written explanation of such failure that has been filed within 5 days (or extension thereof granted by the board) after such failure to appear. If the board determines that the registrant's failure to appear was for good cause it shall reschedule the registrant's personal appearance. If the board does not receive a timely written explanation of the registrant's failure to appear for his scheduled personal appearance or if the board determines that the registrant's failure to appear was not for good cause, the registrant will be deemed to have abandoned his request for personal appearance and the board will proceed to classify him on the basis of the material in his file. The board will notify the registrant in writing of its action under this paragraph.

(a) A quorum of the prescribed membership of a board shall be present during all personal appearances. Only those members of the board before whom the registrant appears shall classify him.

(b) At any such appearance, the registrant may present evidence, including witnesses; discuss his classification; direct attention to any information in his file; and present such further information as he believes will assist the board in determing his proper classification. The information furnished should be as concise as possible.

(c) The registrant may present the testimony of not more than three witnesses unless it is the judgment of the board that the testimony of additional witnesses is warranted. The registrant may summarize in writing, the oral information that he or his witnesses presented. Such summary shall be placed in the registrant's file.

(d) A summary will be made of all oral testimony given by the registrant and his witnesses at his personal appearance and such summary shall be placed in the registrant's file.

(e) If the registrant does not speak English adequately he may appear with a person to act as interpreter for him. The interpreter shall be sworn in accordance with § 1605.81(b). Such interpreter will not be deemed to be a witness unless he testifies in behalf of the registrant.

(f) During the personal appearance only the registrant or his witnesses may address the board or respond to questions of the board and only the registrant and the board will be allowed to address questions to witnesses. A registrant may, however, be accompanied by an advisor of his choosing and may confer with the advisor before responding to an inquiry or statement by the board: Provided, That, those conferences do not substantially interfere with or unreasonably delay the orderly process of the personal appearance.

(g) If, in the opinion of the board, the informal, administrative nature of the personal appearance is unduly disrupted by the presence of an advisor, the board chairman may require the advisor to leave the hearing room. In such case, the board chairman shall put a statement of reasons for his action in the registrant's file.

(h) The making of verbatim transcripts, and the using of cameras or other recording devices are prohibited in proceedings before the board. This does not prevent the registrant or Selective Service from making a written summary of all testimony presented.

(i) Proceedings before the local boards shall be open to the public only upon the request of or with the permission of the registrant. The board chairman may limit the number of persons attending the hearing in order to maintain order. If during the hearing the presence on nonparticipants in the proceeding becomes disruptive, the chairman may close the hearing.

(a) Before a board of jurisdiction has undertaken the classification of a registrant, the file may, at his request, be transferred for classification to a local board nearer to his current address than is the local board of jurisdiction.

(b) The Director of Selective Service may transfer a registrant to another board for classification at any time when:

(1) A board cannot act on the registrant's claim because of disqualification under the provisions of § 1605.55 of this chapter; or

(2) He deems such transfer to be necessary in order to assure equitable administration of the Selective Service Law.

A board to which a registrant is transferred for classification shall classify the registrant in the same manner it would classify a registrant assigned to it. When the classification has been decided by the transfer board, the file will be returned to the local board of jurisdiction in the manner prescribed by the Director.