31 CFR § 501.703 - Overview of civil penalty process and construction of rules.

(a) The administrative process for enforcing TWEA sanctions programs proceeds as follows:

(1) The Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control will notify a suspected violator (hereinafter “respondent”) of an alleged violation by issuing a “Prepenalty Notice.” The Prepenalty Notice shall describe the alleged violation(s) and include a proposed civil penalty amount.

(2) The respondent will have 60 days from the date the Prepenalty Notice is served to make a written presentation either defending against the alleged violation or admitting the violation. A respondent who admits a violation may offer information as to why a monetary penalty should not be imposed or why, if imposed, the monetary penalty should be in a lesser amount than proposed.

(3) Absent a settlement agreement or a finding that no violation occurred, the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control will issue a “Penalty Notice.” The respondent will have 30 days from the date of service to either pay the penalty or request a hearing.

(4) If the respondent requests a hearing, the Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control will have two options:

(i) The Director may issue an “Order Instituting Proceedings” and refer the matter to an Administrative Law Judge for a hearing and decision; or

(ii) The Director may determine to discontinue the penalty action based on information presented by the respondent.

(5) Absent review by a Secretary's designee, the decision of the Administrative Law Judge will become the final decision of the Department without further proceedings.

(6) If review is taken by a Secretary's designee, the Secretary's designee reaches the final decision of the Department.

(7) A respondent may seek judicial review of the final decision of the Department.

(b) Construction of rules. The rules contained in this subpart shall be construed and administered to promote the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action. To the extent there is a conflict between the rules contained in this subpart and a procedural requirement contained in any statute, the requirement in the statute shall control.