About the Office of Administrative Hearings

Our mission is to provide a neutral forum for fair and independent resolution of administrative matters, ensuring due process and respecting the dignity of all.

The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is a quasi-judicial tribunal that hears administrative disputes.  Established by the California Legislature in 1945, OAH provides independent Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) to conduct hearings for over 1,500 State and local government agencies.  OAH provides both adjudication and alternative dispute resolution services. 

Of the 10,000 to 14,000 cases filed with OAH each year, approximately 50 percent of our General Jurisdiction cases and 96 percent of our Special Education cases are resolved without the need for hearing and decision.  OAH offers a wealth of experience, qualified ALJs, professional calendar staff, and the flexibility to mediate, arbitrate, or adjudicate administrative disputes at a cost substantially less than charged by other providers.

About OAH

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The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is an independent office housed within the Department of General Services for administrative purposes. OAH is under the direction and control of the Director of OAH, who is appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation of the Senate. Administrative Law Judges at OAH are appointed by the Director of OAH, and act independently from the agencies appearing before OAH in hearings, mediations, and all other administrative matters.

OAH Offices

The Office of Administrative Hearings has five regional offices with hearing rooms. Cases may also be heard in other venues. 


Zackery P. Morazzini,
Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge

 

Narendra (Bob) Varma,
Deputy Director

 

Visit the OAH Contact page for regional office information.
OAH Offices Button

Contact Us via Email

For more information on OAH please go to the Brochures page by clicking on the following link: BROCHURES

In California, where there is disagreement with an action intended to be taken by certain government agencies against an individual or business, a hearing before OAH may be requested.  Typically, this occurs when an agency seeks to discipline one of its licensees.  For example, all hearings before the Medical Board of California involving physician discipline are conducted before an OAH ALJ.   Similarly, the Department of Social Services prosecutes actions to regulate licensed day care or residential facilities before OAH when complaints of abuse or neglect are brought to its attention.  And many cities and counties contract with OAH to hear employee discipline and disability retirement appeals.

The ALJs are fully independent of the agencies whose attorneys appear before them.  The Administrative Law Judge has the same relationship with each party -- that of a neutral fact-finder.  All OAH ALJs are required to have practiced law for at least five years before being appointed, and typically have over ten years of experience.

 

ALJ Biographical Information

ALJs preside over hearings in a manner similar to civil court trials unless local agency rules provide otherwise.  Hearings are generally open to the public.  Each party is given an opportunity to make an opening statement, call witnesses, and offer other relevant evidence. After all the evidence is submitted, the parties may make closing arguments, orally or in writing.  In most cases, the ALJ prepares a detailed written decision within 30 days.
OAH also has an alternative dispute resolution program offering both mediation and arbitration services.

In the Fall of 2017, the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) began using a browser-based secure file transfer system for electronic filing and service of case-related documents.  OAH Secure e-File Transfer (SFT) replaces OAH’s method of sending and receiving documents through email attachments.  In addition, OAH will deliver electronic copies of documents through SFT.  The SFT will be the only method for electronic filing with OAH.

Parties or attorneys will create a password-protected free account at SFT, and will use that account for both sending documents to OAH and receiving documents from OAH.

SFT will be mandatory for all government agencies and attorneys.  It will be optional for self-represented parties.  OAH will continue to accept hard copy documents by mail or personal delivery from self-represented parties.  Self-represented parties who opt not to use SFT will receive copies of notices and documents from OAH by regular mail.

OAH will no longer accept fax or email copies of documents from parties, will not send email attachments to parties, and will no longer send documents to parties by fax.

For more information, please visit the OAH Secure e-File Transfer web page.

Security Announcement for OAH Hearings


Penal Code, Part 1, Title 5, Section 71

It is a criminal offense to threaten a public official which includes administrative law judges and the staff at the Office of Administrative Hearings (Penal Code, Part 1, Title 5, Section 71). Violators will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Office of Administrative Hearings - Organization

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Director– Chief Administrative Law Judge

Zackery P. Morazzini

Deputy Director

Narendra (Bob) Varma

  Nicole Srinivasan, Attorney III

Administration Division

Melissa McKinney, Staff Services Manager II (Supervisory)

Fiscal and Support Services Unit

Poh-Ling Oon - Staff Services Manager I 

  Anthony Corella, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

  Dia Vang, Staff Services Analyst

  Marquisha Cilenti, Staff Services Analyst

  Jamie Riddle, Office Technician (Typing)

  Moiz Uddin, Accountant I (SPEC)

Contracts and Procurement Unit        

Carlos Trejo, Staff Services Manager I

Cara Kenyon, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Phoenix Lawson, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Sue Vang, Staff Services Analyst

  Ariel Zeagas, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Business Services Unit

Lisiate Akolo, Staff Services Manager I

Timothy Chang, Staff Services Analyst

Natali Guerrero Gonzalez, Associate Governmental Program Analyst 

Cheo Brown, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Crystal Freeman, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Employee Resource Unit

Samantha Alfonso, Staff Services Manager I

  Linh Nguyen, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

  April Mathews, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

  Myla Trinidad, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Isela Deorta, Office Technician (Typing)

  Karissa Ruiz, Staff Services Analyst

Director - Chief Administrative Law Judge

Zackery P. Morazzini

Deputy Director

Narendra (Bob) Varma

CEA Division Chief Administrative Law Judge, General Jurisdiction

Susan Formaker, CEA Division Chief Administrative Law Judge, General Jurisdiction  (in Los Angeles)

        Tzer Lor-Snyder, Associate Governmental Program Analyst (in Sacramento)

Maryjosephine Norrington, Associate Governmental Program Analyst (in Los Angeles)

Sacramento: 

Heather Rowan, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Sean Gavin, Senior Administrative Law Judge

        Patricia Huber, Administrative Law Judge

Matthew Block, Administrative Law Judge

Wim van Rooyen, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Timothy Aspinwall, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

Marcie Larson, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Brian Weisel, Administrative Law Judge

Coren Wong, Senior Administrative Law Judge       

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

 

Christina Borrego, Staff Services Manager I

Monica Peterson, Staff Services Analyst

Kristen Barkley, Staff Services Analyst

Aaron Seawell, Staff Services Analyst

Rachel Molina, Staff Services Analyst

  Jacquelyn Castro, Staff Services Analyst

Vacant, Legal Support Supervisor I

Abigail Trautt, Office Technician (Typing)

Kristina Aguirre, Senior Legal Typist

Annalia Pangilinan, Office Technician (Typing)

Rachel Cabral, Office Technician (Typing)

  Vacant, Office Technician (Typing)

  Vacant, Office Technician (Typing)

Oakland:           

Regina Brown, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Michelle Dylan, Administrative Law Judge

Carl Corbin, Administrative Law Judge

Frances Valdez, Administrative Law Judge

Mario Choi, Administrative Law Judge

Juliet Cox, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Michael Starkey, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Holly Baldwin, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Karen Reichmann, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Stephanie Haffner, Administrative Law Judge

  Vacant, Administrative Law Judge 

 

Susie Alvarez, Staff Services Manager I (in Los Angeles)

Vacant, Legal Secretary

Helen Tsai, Staff Services Analyst

Michele Lewis, Senior Legal Typist 

Abigail Tetteh, Staff Services Analyst

  Vacant, Senior Legal Typist

San Diego:          

Adam Berg, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Mary Agnes Matyszewski, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Abraham Levy, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Kimberly Belvedere, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

  Marion Vomhof, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Jami Teagle-Burgos, Administrative Law Judge

  Traci Belmore, Administrative Law Judge

Debra Nye-Perkins, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

 

 Christina Borrego, Staff Services Manager I (in Sacramento)

Paul Gates, Staff Services Analyst

Vacant, Staff Services Analyst

Gilbert Villalba, Senior Legal Typist

Zenobia Akindipe, Senior Legal Typist

Los Angeles:

Nancy Beezy Micon, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Deena Ghaly, Administrative Law Judge

Irina Tentser, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Eileen Cohn, Senior Administrative Law Judge

San Yu, Administrative Law Judge

Chantal Sampogna, Administrative Law Judge

Nana Chin, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Eric Sawyer, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Joseph Montoya, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Thomas Heller, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Taylor Steinbacher, Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

  Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

 Matthew Goldsby, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Christopher Ruiz, Administrative Law Judge

  Jennifer Russell, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Ji-Lan Zang, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Glynda Gomez, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Julie Owen, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Erlinda Shrenger, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Thomas Lucero, Administrative Law Judge

Cindy Forman, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Vacant, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Harden Sooper, Administrative Law Judge

 

Susie Alvarez, Staff Services Manager I

Jonathan Valadez, Staff Services Analyst

Sylvia Padilla, Staff Services Analyst

Valentina Ortiz, Staff Services Analyst

Alexis Stewart, Staff Services Analyst

        Joseph McGaha, Staff Services Analyst

        Isaac Cortez, Staff Services Analyst

 

Yolanda Parker, Legal Support Supervisor I

  Carol Barron, Legal Secretary

Vacant, Senior Legal Typist

  Vacant, Office Technician (Typing)

  Vacant, Office Technician

  Helen Lam, Office Technician (Typing)

Vacant, Senior Legal Typist

Niki San, Office Technician (Typing)

Director– Chief Administrative Law Judge

 Zackery P. Morazzini

Deputy Director

 Narendra (Bob) Varma

CEA Division Chief Administrative Law Judge, Special Education

Peter Paul Castillo, Division Chief Administrative Law Judge, Special Education (in Los Angeles)

 

Sacramento:

Joyann Redmon, Supervising  Administrative Law Judge

Theresa Ravandi, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Tiffany Gilmartin, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

  Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

  Claire Yazigi, Administrative Law Judge

 

Stefanie Kent, Staff Services Manager I

Ashley Ames, Staff Services Analyst

  Aleecia Alvarado, Staff Services Analyst

Tammy Cookerly, Staff Services Analyst

  Adam Levine, Office Technician (Typing)

       

Maurene Trotter, Staff Services Manager I

        Laurie Crom, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

  Anna Brown, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

      Trinity Dorantes, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Alondra Marquez, Staff Services Analyst

  Gabriel Manzo, Staff Services Analyst

  Robert Conlin, Senior Legal Typist

  Robyn Sturgis-Myers, Senior Legal Typist

Cheryl Yasui, Office Technician (Typing)

  Ivy Khan, Office Technician (Typing)

      

Oakland:

 Joyann Redmon, Supervising  Administrative Law Judge

Charles Marson, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

  Cynthia Fritz, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

 Rita Defilippis, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Daniel Senter, Administrative Law Judge

 

Los Angeles:

 Margaret Gibson, Supervising Administrative Law Judge

  Ashok Pathi, Administrative Law Judge

  June Lehrman, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Laurie Gorsline, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

  Cole Dalton, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Clifford Woosley, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Thanayi Lindsey, Administrative Law Judge

  Robert Martin, Administrative Law Judge

  Lewis T. Mann III, Administrative Law Judge 

  Christine Arden, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Penelope Pahl, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Vacant, Administrative Law Judge

 

Tara Doss, Presiding Administrative Law Judge

Alexa Hohensee, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

  Kara Hatfield, Senior Administrative Law Judge

Sabrina Kong, Senior Administrative Law Judge

  Judith Pasewark, Administrative Law Judge

  Robert Butchko, Administrative Law Judge

  Deborah Myers-Cregar, Administrative Law Judge

     

Stefanie Kent, Staff Services Manager I

Erica Lawlor, Associate Governmental Program Analyst

Lisa Gachuzo, Senior Legal Typist

        Vanessa Munoz, Staff Services Analyst

  Argentina Kuniansky, Senior Legal Typist

 

San Diego:

Tara Doss, Supervising Administrative Law Judge

Linda Dowd, Administrative Law Judge 

Cararea Lucier, Administrative Law Judge 

Rommel Cruz, Administrative Law Judge 

Paul Kamoroff, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

Jennifer Kelly, Senior Administrative Law Judge 

       

Stefanie Kent, Staff Services Manager I

Matthew Blair, Staff Services Analyst

Kamilah Jones, Staff Services Analyst

Office of Administrative Hearings Information

Director and Deputy Director

Office of Administrative Hearings

2349 Gateway Oaks Drive
Suite 200
Sacramento, CA 95833


Zackery P. Morazzini,
Director and Chief Administrative Law Judge

Bob Varma,
Deputy Director

Main Telephone Number: (916) 263-0550

Alternative Format  and language Request

All forms and publications on this website are available in alternative formats or languages.  If you would like a copy of a form or publication in an alternative format or language, please contact us at DGSOAHFeedback@dgs.ca.gov. PLEASE DO NOT SUBMIT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.

 

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