State of Maryland

A Public Service Commission (PSC) Public Utility Law Judge Senior is the advanced level of work conducting quasi-judicial hearings and formal cases and rendering decisions on behalf of the PSC. Employees do not supervise other positions, but may provide technical guidance to lower- level Public Utility Law Judges PSC.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from the Chief Public Utility Law Judge. The work requires travel statewide to conduct hearings.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology. The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The PSC Public Utility Law Judge Senior is differentiated from the PSC Public Utility Law Judge II in that the PSC Public Utility Law Judge Senior is responsible for cases that are more complex and may provide technical guidance to lower-level PSC Public Utility Law Judges while the PSC Public Utility Law Judge II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision. The PSC Public Utility Law Judge Senior is differentiated from the PSC Chief Public Utility Law Judge in that the PSC Chief Public Utility Law Judge has supervisory responsibility for lower-level PSC Public Utility Law Judges and administrative personnel and conducts hearings for the most complex cases.

Conducts formal hearings on behalf of the Public Service Commission of Maryland in matters of greater complexity than those conducted by lower-level Public Utility Law Judges;

Conducts hearing sessions dedicated to receiving public comments on applications before the Commission;

Presides over public comment hearings and evidentiary hearings in in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats;

Administers oaths and affirmations;

Rules upon offers of proof and receives relevant evidence;

Determines credibility and substantiality of testimony;

Performs legal research to prepare for hearings and in drafting Proposed Orders;

Applies relevant statutory law, regulations, and case law to the facts presented;

Makes findings of fact and conclusions of law;

Files a Proposed Order, which is the Commission’s decision in the case, unless a party appeals to, or it is taken up by the Commission on its own motion for review;

Prepares timely, clear, technically sound, accurate and comprehensive decisions in matters heard containing findings and conclusions;

Holds pre-hearing conferences for the settlement or simplification of the issues, and rules on petitions to intervene;

Disposes of procedural requests or similar matters, and rules on motions;

Provides formal mediation/alternative dispute resolution services to resolve disputes between public service companies and customers;

May sit with two members of the Commission as a panel in the hearing of formal cases;

May provide technical guidance to lower-level Public Utility Law Judges;

May lead stakeholder groups to ensure that the stakeholder groups meet the goals assigned;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the laws, rules, regulations and procedures relating to public service company regulations in Maryland;

Knowledge of the Maryland Public Service Commission policies relating to public utility regulation in Maryland;

Knowledge of legal procedures and substantive legal rules;

Knowledge of complex engineering, energy, environmental, finance, accounting, and public administration concepts as they interact in regulated public service industries such as natural gas, electricity, water, and the telecommunications industry;

Ability to render a fair decision and to present data, comments and opinions effectively; Ability to preside over and conduct hearings in a dignified, orderly and impartial manner; Ability to determine credibility of witnesses;

Ability to examine and analyze evidence and to apply agency and court decisions;

Ability to exercise sound judgment;

Ability to handle controversial situations;

Ability to be objective and free from the influence of any kind in evaluating evidence and making decisions.

Education: A Juris Doctor degree or equivalent degree from an accredited law school.

Experience: Five years of experience in the practice of law. Within the past nine years, must have a minimum of five years of experience either presenting exhibits or evidence, examining witnesses, and submitting written briefs in a contested evidentiary hearing before a quasi-judicial body or a trial court; or preparing proposed decisions for a trial court or quasi- judicial body.

Note: Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

1. Candidates for this classification must be a member of the Maryland bar at the time of appointment.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties will be required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each individual position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System. All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions. Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit as indicated by the designation of M (manager), T (agency head), U (Board of Commission member), W (student), X (Used by agency or excluded by executive order), or Z (confidential). As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, managerial, and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.
Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and therefore, all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.