TITLE 33 > CHAPTER 18 > § 923

 
                NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
         CHAPTER 18--LONGSHORE AND HARBOR WORKERS' COMPENSATION
 
Sec. 923. Procedure before deputy commissioner or Board

    (a) In making an investigation or inquiry or conducting a hearing 
the deputy commissioner or Board shall not be bound by common law or 
statutory rules of evidence or by technical or formal rules of 
procedure, except as provided by this chapter; but may make such 
investigation or inquiry or conduct such hearing in such manner as to 
best ascertain the rights of the parties. Declarations of a deceased 
employee concerning the injury in respect of which the investigation or 
inquiry is being made or the hearing conducted shall be received in 
evidence and shall, if corroborated by other evidence, be sufficient to 
establish the injury.
    (b) Hearings before a deputy commissioner or Board shall be open to 
the public and shall be stenographically reported, and the deputy 
commissioners or Board, subject to the approval of the Secretary, are 
authorized to contract for the reporting of such hearings. The Secretary 
shall by regulation provide for the preparation of a record of the 
hearings and other proceedings before the deputy commissioners or Board.

(Mar. 4, 1927, ch. 509, Sec. 23, 44 Stat. 1437; Pub. L. 92-576, 
Sec. 15(e), Oct. 27, 1972, 86 Stat. 1262; Pub. L. 98-426, Sec. 27(a)(2), 
Sept. 28, 1984, 98 Stat. 1654.)


                               Amendments

    1984--Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98-426 substituted ``Secretary'' for 
``commission''. See Transfer of Functions note set out under section 902 
of this title.
    1972--Pub. L. 92-576 inserted references to the Board in subsecs. 
(a) and (b).


                    Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 98-426 effective Sept. 28, 1984, see section 
28(e)(1) of Pub. L. 98-426, set out as a note under section 901 of this 
title.


                    Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 92-576 effective 30 days after Oct. 27, 1972, 
see section 22 of Pub. L. 92-576, set out as a note under section 902 of 
this title.