Civil Service and Administrative Hearings

Dale Nowicki has presided over 100 administrative hearings since 2014. His experience includes service as a hearing officer for the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission and the City of Los Angeles, as well as prior service for the County of Orange. This work reflects a sustained commitment to public service, impartial legal analysis, and procedural fairness.

The Role of an Administrative Hearing Officer

An administrative hearing officer serves as a neutral adjudicator in proceedings involving government agencies and individuals whose employment, rights, or interests may be affected by an agency’s action. In civil-service matters, these proceedings can involve employee discipline, discharge, and other disputes governed by applicable personnel rules. The hearing officer’s responsibility is to evaluate the matter independently, without advocating for either side.

Conducting Hearings and Evaluating Evidence

The role involves conducting orderly hearings, addressing procedural questions, ruling on evidentiary objections, and giving each party a meaningful opportunity to present its case and challenge opposing evidence. Hearing officers listen to testimony, examine documents, assess witness credibility, and determine whether the evidence satisfies the applicable burden of proof. They must distinguish allegations from established facts and apply the governing law and rules to the record before them.

Written Findings and Decisions

The work also requires careful written analysis. Depending on the authority granted by the particular agency, a hearing officer may issue a decision or prepare findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations for a commission or other decision-making body. A well-reasoned determination explains what the evidence establishes, how conflicting accounts were evaluated, and why the applicable standards support the result.

Experience and Impartial Judgment

Dale’s military, law-enforcement, litigation, and corporate-counsel experience provides practical context for understanding complex testimony and institutional procedures. His responsibility as a hearing officer remains distinct: to approach each matter impartially, protect the integrity of the proceeding, and reach conclusions grounded in the evidence and governing law.

A Commitment to Due Process

His administrative-hearing service reflects the importance of due process in everyday government decision-making—ensuring that consequential decisions receive meaningful scrutiny and that the people affected have a fair opportunity to be heard.