California OAH special education order · July 2, 2026
Order Granting Request to Reopen Case
OAH Case No. 2026060060 · ALJ Joy Redmon
OAH reopened Student's case against Los Angeles Unified after it was dismissed by mistake. A dismissal request meant for a different, unassigned filing was applied to this case.
Summary
Student's counsel filed a second due process request, realized it named the wrong respondent, and asked to dismiss it, listing the case number as "unassigned." OAH applied that dismissal to this case, the only open case it could find, and closed the file on June 30, 2026. Student filed a Notice of Errata and asked to reopen. OAH granted the request on an expedited basis without the usual three days for a response, reset the prehearing conference to July 6, 2026, and kept the July 14-16, 2026 hearing dates.
Why it matters
A mislabeled dismissal request can accidentally close the wrong case, so filings should always carry the correct case number. If that happens, OAH will move quickly to reopen a case when the error is clear.
Topics
Full text of the order
Published text of the OAH order. Page headers and numbers from the original PDF have been dropped.
BEFORE THE
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE MATTER OF:
PARENTS ON BEHALF OF STUDENT,
v.
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT.
OAH CASE NUMBER 2026060060
ORDER GRANTING REQUEST TO REOPEN CASE
JULY 2, 2026
On June 30, 2026, the Office of Administrative Hearings issued a dismissal vacating all hearing dates, and closing the file.
On July 2, 2026, Student filed a request to reopen the case. Student filed a subsequent due process hearing request and before it was assigned a case number, realized counsel inadvertently named the incorrect respondent. Recognizing the error, Student submitted a request to dismiss the case and identified the case number as “unassigned.” In searching OAH’s database, this case was the only open case with an assigned case number. Accordingly, the dismissal was processed and this case dismissed. Student then filed a Notice of Errata and request to reopen this case as Student did not intend that the instant case be dismissed.
Typically, OAH provides three day’s notice for a response from a respondent.
However, given the facts of this case and the expediency with which the case needs to be reopened, this order issued on an expedited basis.
Prior to dismissal, the prehearing conference was scheduled for Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10AM. Given that this order will not be issued until nearly that time, the prehearing conference is rescheduled but the hearing dates preserved. Nothing prevents either party from seeking an additional continuance.
ORDER
The request to reopen the case is granted. This matter is now scheduled:
• Prehearing Conference: Monday, July 6, 2026, at 10AM.
• Due Process Hearing: July 14-16, 2026. The hearing starts at 9:30 a.m. on
the first day and 9:00 a.m. on all other days unless the ALJ orders otherwise.
The parties shall immediately give witnesses the hearing dates. If necessary, they can subpoena witnesses to ensure the witnesses is available to testify. A witness will not be considered unavailable if the party did not properly notify or subpoena a witness.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Joy Redmon Presiding Administrative Law Judge Office of Administrative Hearings