(a) Any initial pleadings in a proceeding to be conducted or being conducted by an administrative law judge under these rules shall be filed with the Hearings Division by hand or by mail under the terms specified in the Standing Orders on Contact Information or by electronic transmission under the terms specified in OHA Standing Orders on Electronic Transmission.

(b) Where a proceeding has been assigned to an administrative law judge, the parties will be notified by the Chief Administrative Law Judge of the name and address of the administrative law judge assigned to the case and thereafter all further documents shall be filed with the Administrative Law Judge, Office of Hearings and Appeals, at the address designated in the notice.

(c) Any notice of appeal, petition for review or other documents in a proceeding to be conducted or being conducted by the Board shall be filed with the Board of Land Appeals by hand or by mail under the terms specified in the OHA Standing Orders on Contact Information or by electronic transmission under the terms specified in OHA Standing Orders on Electronic Transmission.

(d) Any person filing initial pleadings with the Hearings Division or a notice of appeal with the Board by hand or by mail shall furnish an original and one copy. Any person filing other documents with OHA by hand or by mail shall furnish only an original.

(e) Any person who has initiated a proceeding under these rules before the Hearings Division or filed a notice of appeal with the Board shall file proof of service with the same in the form of a return receipt where service is by registered or certified mail, or an acknowledgement by the party served or a verified return where service is made personally. A certificate of service shall accompany all other documents filed by a party in any proceeding.

(f) The effective filing date for documents initiating proceedings before the Hearings Division, OHA, Arlington, VA, shall be the date of receipt in that office, if filed by hand, or the date such document is postmarked, if filed by mail, or the date of electronic transmission under the terms specified in the OHA Standing Orders on Electronic Transmission.

(g) The effective filing date for a notice of appeal or a petition for discretionary review filed with the Board shall be the date of mailing or the date of personal delivery or the date of electronic transmission under the terms specified in the OHA Standing Orders on Electronic Transmission, except the effective filing date for a notice of appeal from a decision in an expedited review of a cessation order proceeding or from a decision in a suspension or revocation proceeding shall be the date of receipt of the document by the Board. The burden of establishing the date of mailing shall be on the person filing the document.

(h) The effective filing date for all other documents filed with an administrative law judge or with the Board shall be the date of mailing or personal delivery or electronic transmission under the terms specified in the OHA Standing Orders on Electronic Transmission. The burden of establishing the date of mailing shall be on the person filing the document.