Application and Construction of this Chapter

(a) SOAH proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the APA, when applicable, and with this chapter. The judge may modify and supplement the requirements of this chapter to promote the fair and efficient handling of the case and to facilitate resolution of issues, if doing so will not unduly prejudice the rights of any person or contravene applicable statutes.

(b) If there is a conflict between an agency's rules or prior decisions and statutory provisions applicable to the case, and the rules or decisions cannot be harmonized with the statute, the statute controls.

(c) The procedural rules of a state agency govern SOAH proceedings only to the extent that SOAH's rules adopt the agency's procedural rules by reference, unless otherwise required by law.

(d) If there is a conflict between SOAH's rules and the procedural rules of the TCEQ adopted in §155.1 of this chapter, the TCEQ rules will control.

(e) If there is a conflict between SOAH's rules and the procedural rules of the PUC adopted in §155.1 of this chapter, the PUC rules will control.

(f) If there is a conflict between SOAH's rules and the procedural rules of ERS referenced in §155.1 of this chapter, the ERS rules will control.

(g) This chapter shall be construed to ensure the just and expeditious determination of every matter referred to SOAH. Not all contested procedural issues will be susceptible to resolution by reference to the APA and other applicable statutes, this chapter, and case law. When they are not, the presiding judge will consider applicable policy of the referring agency documented in the record in accordance with §155.419 of this chapter, the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (TRCP) as interpreted and construed by Texas case law, and persuasive authority established in other forums.

(h) Unless otherwise expressly provided, the past, present, and future tense shall each include the others; the masculine, feminine, and neuter gender shall each include the others; and the singular and plural number shall each include the other.

(i) Words and phrases shall be read in context and construed according to the rules of grammar and common usage. Words and phrases that have acquired a technical or particular meaning, whether by legislative definition or otherwise, shall be construed accordingly. The principles of statutory construction and of the Code Construction Act, Tex. Gov't Code Chapter 311, apply.