Rule 10.  Prehearing or Presubmission Conference

(a)  Whether the case is to be submitted pursuant to Rule 11, or heard pursuant to Rules 17 through 25, the Board may upon its own initiative, or upon the application of either party, arrange a telephone conference or call upon the parties to appear before an Administrative Judge or examiner of the Board for a conference to consider:

(1)  Simplification, clarification, or severing of the issues;

(2)  The possibility of obtaining stipulations, admissions, agreements, and rulings on admissibility of documents, understandings on matters already of record, or similar agreements that will avoid unnecessary proof;

(3)  Agreements and rulings to facilitate discovery;

(4)  Limitation of the number of expert witnesses, or avoidance of similar cumulative evidence;

(5)  The possibility of agreement disposing of any or all of the issues in dispute; and

(6)  Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the appeal.

(b)  The Administrative Judge or examiner of the Board shall make such rulings and orders as may be appropriate to aid in the disposition of the appeal.  The results of pre-trial conferences, including any rulings and orders, shall be reduced to writing by the Administrative Judge or examiner and this writing shall thereafter constitute a part of the record.