Adopt [Hearing] Law and Legal Definition
Adopt refers to the act of making a decision legally effective. Only judges are permitted to adopt decisions. A judge adopts a final decision by:
1. signing and dating the decision cover page;
2. dating and initialing the DPA 424; or
3. authorizing support staff to affix a date stamp and a signature stamp to the decision cover page.
A Presiding Judge adopts a proposed decision by dating and initialing the DPA 424. A Support staff affixes an “adopt stamp” to the decision cover page. This is done in order to document that a Presiding Judge adopted the proposed decision and the adopt date.
